Musings From Abroad

Malian, Russian leaders in new talks to ‘boost’ relations

Published

1 year ago

October 11, 2023

The Russian government has confirmed that its President, Vladimir Putin discussed trade and security with Mali’s military leader, Colonel Assimi Goita on Tuesday.

Putin’s frequent interactions with Assimi Goita, the interim leader of Mali, highlight Moscow’s keen interest in expanding its sway in the violently unstable Sahel region of West Africa, where it is fostering close security connections at the expense of France and the United States.

At a conference in Russia in July, Putin agreed to give free grain to six African nations, including Mali. He spoke to Goita on August 15 and September 10 after meeting him there, according to the Kremlin.

The conversation between the leaders is their third phone conversation in less than two months.

According to a statement from the Kremlin, the two leaders talked about their “shared determination to further boost trade and economic ties, security cooperation, and the fight against terrorism.”

In a post on social media, Goita affirmed this and wrote: “I expressed my gratitude for all the support that Russia gives to Mali.”

Against Western governments’ opposition, Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, whose leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was killed in a plane crash in August, has been active in supporting Goita’s administration in Mali. Wagner has also been accused of committing grave human rights abuses there and elsewhere in Africa and the Middle East.

Musings From Abroad

Nigeria, India to strengthen counterterrorism, maritime security cooperation

Published

12 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

During a state visit to Nigeria on Sunday, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra, Modi reached an agreement, on behalf of his country, to strengthen cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence, and maritime security.

President Bola Tinubu invited Modi to visit Nigeria, the first Indian prime minister to do so in 17 years.

Tinubu is looking for investments from some of the largest economies in the world.

In addition to discussing economic development, defence, healthcare, and food security, Modi and Tinubu met at the presidential mansion on Sunday after arriving in the capital, Abuja, on Saturday night, according to a joint statement.

The two nations decided to work together to protect maritime trade routes and fight piracy in response to the mounting risks in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea.

The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, is looking to attract more Indian investment and lower-cost credit lines in order to strengthen its economy and generate employment.

Nigeria announced last year that it had obtained about $14 billion in pledges from Indian businesses, including Jindal Steel and Power, which promised to spend $3 billion in Nigeria’s steel industry, during the G20 conference.

Over 200 Indian businesses are present in Nigeria.

Modi was scheduled to go to Brazil for this year’s G20 conference after Nigeria.

Nigeria and India have a long-standing and cordial bilateral relationship. Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people, and India, home to 1.3 billion people, are both sizable emerging nations with multilingual, multiethnic, and multireligious communities.

Musings From Abroad

Military advisors from Russia arrive Equatorial Guinea

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Russian military advisors are in Equatorial Guinea training indigenous soldiers.

Anonymous sources cited by Reuters during the week claim that between 100 and 200 Russian instructors are training with elite guards in charge of guarding the President and the first family.

The males had been seen in Malabo, the country’s capital, and Bata, its second city. Reports of Russian forces stationed in the nation initially appeared in August.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has maintained close relations with Moscow.

Nguema travelled to Moscow in September to attend the Russian Energy Week International Forum.

Russia has strengthened military connections with African countries, sending advisors and combat soldiers to the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Faced with an Islamist terrorist insurrection, three Sahel countries have turned to Moscow for support, expelling French and American troops.