Niger is visited by Russian officials to deepen military ties.

Niger’s military chiefs met with a Russian team led by Colonel-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the deputy minister of defense, on Monday in Niamey. According to the Nigerien authorities, the two nations decided to enhance their military collaboration.

This was the first formal visit by a Russian government representative since the military overthrew the civilian administration in Niger on July 26, which sparked outrage throughout the world.

General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Niger’s military administration, welcomed a group led by Yevkurov for discussions.

According to Nigerien officials, the parties “signed documents to strengthen military cooperation between the Republic of Niger and the Russian Federation.”

Following the July coup, ties with the previous colonial power, France, worsened, which has helped Russian influence in Niger.

In response to requests made by the military authorities who removed President Mohamed Bazoum, a crucial ally of Paris, France has started to remove its 1,500 troops from the nation.

According to the finance minister of Bamako, the Russian team also met with the military chiefs of Mali, Moscow’s principal ally in the area, on Sunday. There, they discussed development initiatives, including work on nuclear and renewable energy.

In a video that the Mali president produced, Alousseni Sanou also discussed mining projects, the development of a regional airline, and the building of a network of railroads and tramways.

Amidst protracted jihadist insurgencies, the military regimes in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have united to back the formation of an Alliance of Sahel States, establishing stronger economic connections and reciprocal defense support.

Along with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger left the G5 anti-jihadist group in the Sahel region of Africa on Saturday, dealing a further blow to the war against terrorists in one of the most unstable areas of the globe.