Security Cooperation between Russia and the Alliance of Sahel States

One of the key hot spots in Africa is the armed conflict in the Sahel region, which has resulted in the destabilisation of the political situation and a series of military coups d'état in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The new governments of the "Sahel Troika" have made the decision to cease military and technical cooperation with France and created the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel, AES), which functions as both a defensive alliance and a regional integration group. An essential component of the counterterrorist strategies of the AES members is security cooperation with Russia, which has sent military instructors and specialists to assist in training national armed forces and law enforcement agencies and to support combat operations against terrorist groups. As a result, the troops of the AES member states have managed to achieve significant progress in fighting terrorism. This fact has highlighted the weakness of the former metropole, which failed to provide effective support to the "Sahel Troika", and has threatened the regional positions of the collective West. The latter is accused of trying to keep its African allies weak to maintain neocolonial influence. African countries are closely watching Russia's progress in the Sahel region, considering it not only as a partner but also as a potential security provider.

Russia, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Sahel region, Alliance of Sahel States, cooperation, security