Russia, under the leadership of Tatiana Dovgalenko, has announced the creation of a new diplomatic body aimed at consolidating its relations with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. This was reported by the specialised account @AfricaIntelligenceES, which closely follows the evolution of geopolitical dynamics on the African continent.
The project envisages the opening of a permanent mission in the region, potentially based in Bamako, the capital of Mali. According to the information released, this body will seek to strengthen political and military cooperation, including a proposal to support a joint force of 5,000 troops, composed of units from the three ESA member countries.
In addition to the security component, Moscow is considering the development of civilian nuclear projects in the region as part of its outreach strategy in West Africa. The initiative also aims to strengthen institutional ties with regional bodies such as the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC).
For the moment, the names of ambassadors or delegates assigned to this new structure have not been made public, although sources close to the process stress that talks with the governments of the region are progressing at a good pace.
Sources: @AfricaIntelligenceES @africaactual and agencies