Russia has announced plans to set up intergovernmental cooperation commissions with Burkina Faso and Niger before the end of this year, further expanding its partnerships with members of the Confederation of Sahel States (CSS). Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev announced a meeting that included the education ministers of the Sahel bloc.
Tsivilev recalled that, a month earlier, he had led a government delegation to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger on the instruction of President Vladimir Putin.
An intergovernmental Russia-Mali commission has already been established, which I chaired on the Russian side. We agreed that, as soon as possible, within this year, similar commissions would be set up with the other Sahel states,” he stated.
The first session of the Mali-Russia intergovernmental commission convened in July 2025, marking a significant step in deepening bilateral ties. Co-chaired by Tsivilev and Malian Minister of Economy Alousséni Sanou, the meeting addressed a wide range of strategic issues, including civil nuclear energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and education.
In a statement issued at the time, Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga welcomed the Russian delegation and expressed “the full gratitude of the Malian population towards Russia,” describing the partnership as one that extends far beyond security cooperation into economic and social development. Malian officials emphasised that the commission reflects “the priorities of cooperation and the vision of our two heads of state.”
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