During the second Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Cairo, Russia called for a strengthened and “pragmatic” dialogue between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).
Moscow argued that establishing closer ties is vital to addressing the escalating security threats and terrorism currently facing West Africa.
The appeal was made during a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and ECOWAS Commission President Omar Ali al-Turay. Shared Security Goals: Moscow emphasized the urgent need for both organizations to identify common responses to shared challenges, particularly the fight against terrorism in the Sahel-Saharan region. Geopolitical Influence: Russia has emerged as a primary international partner for the AES nations—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—following their move to denounce defense agreements with France after recent military coups. Moscow’s Stance: By advocating for this concerted regional approach, Russia is positioning itself as a key mediator and advocate for regional dialogue.
Despite the political tensions caused by the withdrawal of the AES countries from ECOWAS, the regional organization has recently taken steps to maintain certain cooperation channels: Financial Standards: On December 14, ECOWAS admitted Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as non-member participants in the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering (GIABA) based on their commitment to regional standards. Economic Continuity: The AES countries will continue to participate in the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) as “non-regional countries” to ensure ongoing development projects and financial operations are not disrupted. Security Coordination: ECOWAS reaffirmed its commitment to regional coordination with the three Sahelian states, acknowledging that effective counter-terrorism efforts require unified action.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA