AES

Russia Expands Footprint in West Africa Through Alliance with AES Bloc

April 2025 | InnerKwest New Desk

Diplomatic Engagements in Moscow

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—an emerging Africa regional bloc formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—recently strengthened its diplomatic and strategic alliance with Russia. In early April 2025, the foreign ministers of the three nations held consultations in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, signaling a growing geopolitical realignment in West Africa.


Military Support and Training Commitments

During the Moscow meetings, Russian officials committed to supplying advanced military equipment and tactical training to support the AES’s collective fight against jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region. The partnership underscores Moscow’s efforts to fill the security vacuum left by the exit of Western forces from the region.


Russia’s Strategic Pivot into Africa

The move marks Russia’s deepening involvement in Africa, where it continues to forge alliances with states distancing themselves from Western influence. As the AES consolidates military power regionally, it sees Moscow not just as a weapons supplier, but as a long-term strategic ally in its pursuit of sovereignty and stability.


No Formal AES-Russia Summit Yet

While this collaboration has sparked speculation about a formal AES-Russia summit, no official gathering has taken place to date. However, the groundwork laid during these diplomatic engagements may pave the way for future summits that further institutionalize this rising alliance in Africa’s shifting power dynamics.


Stay with InnerKwest for developing coverage on global power shifts, alliance-building, and the evolving role of crypto and decentralized infrastructure across African economies.


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