The head of the military regime in Niger, General Abdourahamane Tiani, spoke on the telephone on Tuesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss in particular the
“strengthening”
of their security cooperation, indicates an official Nigerien press release.
“The two heads of state”
“ discussed
the need to strengthen security cooperation”
between Russia and Niger
“to face current threats”
, specifies a press release read on Nigerien public radio, when jihadist attacks undermine the Sahel.
The two men also discussed
“projects for multi-sectoral and global strategic cooperation
,” according to the document, which does not give details.
General Tiani, who has led Niger since the overthrow of civilian President Mohamed Bazoum last July, expressed his
“thanks for the support”
Russia provided to Niger and the
“struggle”
of this Sahelian country for
“national sovereignty »
, according to the same source.
The meeting took place, on the Nigerien side, in the presence of Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the Minister of Defense, General Salifou Mody and the Minister of the Interior, General Mohamed Toumba.
Alliance of Sahel States
In mid-March, Niger denounced with
“immediate effect”
the military cooperation agreement with the United States, calling into question the presence of just over 1,000 American soldiers in Niger.
Niger, like neighboring Burkina Faso and Mali, has been facing recurring and deadly jihadist violence for years, perpetrated by jihadist groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
In all three countries, civilian governments have been overthrown by successive military coups since 2020.
In addition, these three former French colonies turned their backs on Paris and moved closer economically and militarily to new partners, including Russia, before regrouping within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with the objective of create a federation.
In mid-January, Russia had already announced that it had agreed to
“intensify”
its military cooperation with Niger.
A Russian delegation went to Niamey in December to discuss with the military.
Agreements on strengthening military cooperation were then signed.
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali announced at the end of January that they were leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and founded a joint force against jihadist groups.
This meeting between President Putin and General Tiani comes four days after an attack on a concert hall in the suburbs of Moscow, claimed by the Islamic State and which left at least 139 dead.