Facing isolation in the West following its full-scale offensive in Ukraine, Moscow has tried to build new partnerships in Africa, where it has been growing its presence in recent years, including militarily.
The three Sahelian countries are led by juntas which seized power in coups and have turned away from former colonial power France while moving closer to Russia, which sends mercenaries to help them fight a jihadist insurgency.
"Today we are holding the first consultations between the heads of the defence ministries of the Russian Federation and the countries participating in the Sahel states confederation," defence minister Andrey Belousov said, referring to the recently created entity aimed to replace a Western-led alliance.
"Currently, defence is the largest area of cooperation between our countries," said his Malian counterpart Sadio Camara, a heavyweight in the junta who is seen as one of the advocates of closer ties with Russia.
Niger and Burkina Faso defence ministers Salifou Modi and Celestin Simpore also took part in the meeting, according to the footage shared by the Russian ministry.
Following the talks, Russia and the three states have signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, Moscow's defence ministry said, without giving details.
Belousov said Russia was ready to provide a "comprehensive assistance" to ensure stability in the contested region facing a growing jihadist conflict, which threatens to spill over to the wider west Africa region.
The three states quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the beginning of the year, accusing the regional bloc of being subservient to France, and have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), aimed to offset the pro-Western ECOWAS.
The Russian minister called the decision to create the pro-Russian bloc AES a "result of a free choice by the Sahelian peoples their commitment to sustainable peaceful development".
South Africa's top general under fire for remarks in Iran
Pretoria (AFP) Aug 14, 2025 -
The foreign ministry has also condemned South African National Defence Force chief General Rudzani Maphwanya for his statements during a recently-ended trip to Iran, and a leading political party has called for his court-martial.
Pretoria is working to improve its rock-bottom ties with Washington, with the aim of reaching a new trade deal that will avoid 30 percent tariffs on its exports.
"We are in a process of managing a very delicate exercise of resetting diplomatic relations with the United States," Ramaphosa's spokesman said at a media briefing.
During these negotiations, it was "not helpful" to have "senior government or military officials making statements that will inflame the situation," Vincent Magwenya said.
The Tehran Times reported on Tuesday that Maphwanya had called for deeper cooperation with Iran, especially in defence matters, during meetings with top Iranian defence officials.
Iran's state-owned Press TV reported that the South African general had affirmed the two countries had "common goals" and also condemned Israel's actions in Gaza.
"At this period of heightened geopolitical tensions as well as conflict in the Middle East, one can say the visit was ill-advised," Magwenya said, adding that Ramaphosa had not been aware of the visit.
The Democratic Alliance, the second-largest group in the government of national unity, has demanded that Maphwanya be court-martialled for "breaching military neutrality".
Mali junta accuses foreign powers of destabilisation plot
Dakar (AFP) Aug 14, 2025 - The authorities in Mali on Thursday said a French national had been arrested on suspicion of working for French intelligence services, and accused "foreign states" of trying to destabilise the country.
The ruling junta, which came to power after back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, also said that dozens of soldiers had been detained in recent days for allegedly seeking to overthrow the government.
Impoverished Mali has been gripped by a security crisis since 2012, fuelled notably by violence from groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadist group, as well as local criminal gangs.
In a statement read on national television, the military said "fringe elements of the Malian armed security forces" were held for seeking to "destabilise the institutions of the republic".
"These soldiers and civilians" are said to have obtained "the help of foreign states", the government said.
The French national was held on suspicion of working "on behalf of the French intelligence service".
Security sources told AFP that at least 55 soldiers had been arrested, and the government said it was working to identify "possible accomplices".
The junta confirmed the arrest of two generals, including Abbas Dembele, a highly respected figure in the army and a former governor who was recently dismissed from his position.
Security sources told AFP the arrests were made mainly within the national guard -- a branch of the army from whose ranks emerged Defence Minister Sadio Camara, a key figure in the junta.
Several observers noted that some of those arrested were close to Camara but he has not been questioned so far.
On Tuesday, Mali's civilian former prime minister Choguel Maiga and a number of his former colleagues were taken into custody as part of an investigation into claims of "misappropriation of public funds".
Maiga, a former junta heavyweight, was appointed prime minister in 2021 before being dismissed at the end of last year after criticising the military government.
He had criticised being excluded from decisions about the continued leadership of the generals, who had initially promised to hand power back to elected civilians in March 2024.
No connection has been made between his arrest and those of the soldiers accused of wanting to overthrow the government.
The junta, led by President Assimi Goita, has turned away from Western partners, notably former colonial power France, to align itself politically and militarily with Russia in the name of national sovereignty.
The Malian army and its Russian mercenary allies have been tasked with hunting down the jihadists and are regularly accused of committing abuses against civilians.
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