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Russia’s Defense Ministry says it has discussed areas of cooperation with Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and the Central African Republic
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov held talks with his Burkina Faso and Niger counterparts on potential areas of security cooperation with the West African countries.
The meeting took place during the 10th Army-2024 International Military-Technical Forum near Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
The Russian Defense Minister, his Burkina Faso counterpart Kassoum Coulibaly, and his Nigerien counterpart Hamadou Djibo Battier also discussed “Strengthening Central African Security”, According to the ministry.
Belousov held talks with the defense ministers of Mali and the Central African Republic before talks with officials from Burkina Faso and Niger. Tuesday’s talks in Bamako and Bangui also focused on expanding bilateral defense cooperation, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“The two sides exchanged views on the international situation and the most pressing issues of regional security,” It added.
The Russian Defense Ministry said that around 110 foreign military delegations invited to the three-day “Army 2024” forum included representatives of Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and the Central African Republic.
Read more: Putin praises Russia’s unrivalled military ‘technology’
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke at the opening ceremony on Monday explain The event has proven to be a platform for promoting constructive cooperation between Moscow and other governments. More than 120 foreign companies have registered to participate in the forum, he added.
Putin said the agenda of the event was to provide “A large-scale demonstration of the most advanced and unique achievements of Russian defense manufacturers”, These include more than 240 export versions of weapons and other types of military and specialized hardware.
“We value our partnerships and are committed to developing them by working with other nations to ensure equal and indivisible security and to build a new, more equitable multipolar world order.” Putin said.
Burkina Faso Defense Minister Coulibaly praised the organizers of this year’s event in an interview with Sputnik on Wednesday. “It’s really rich.”
“This is a major innovation, it’s a kind of workshop for the participants because there is not only equipment but also demonstrations based on feedback from various areas,” he reportedly said.
In recent months, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have sought to increase security cooperation with Russia to combat a decade-long jihadist insurgency in the Sahel. All three landlocked West African countries have expelled French troops involved in a counterterrorism mission in the region, arguing they had failed to quell the militants.
Russia is committed to helping the troubled Sahel countries and the Central African Republic, which has also experienced decades of armed violence and political insecurity, address long-standing threats.
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