After Third Summit, Russia Consolidates Its Footing in the Sahel with Strategic Partnerships

The third Russia-Africa summit, held in Moscow on October 28 and 29 of this month, allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to continue his efforts to win over the African continent, especially the Sahel region, with which he signed new agreements opening another era away from the West.

Moscow's presence in the Sahel gives this rapprochement special significance for Paris, the former colonial power of these countries, given that Mali, Niger, and Togo have concluded strategic agreements with Russia.

A Losing Deal
While Western elites denounce these agreements, describing them as a "losing deal," the reality on the ground presents a different narrative about this era of cooperation, unlike the past when African countries were forced to beg for assistance from Western powers that spoke only of their conditions.

Russia enables Togo to consolidate its position as a strategic logistics hub for the new regional dynamism. The two countries have begun discussions on a proposed transport and energy corridor to move Russian goods, including liquefied natural gas, to Sahel countries via the port of Lome. This was announced by the Russian Ambassador to Togo, Igor Evdokimov, to the "African Initiative" agency.

From September 29 to October 1, 2026, the first session of the joint intergovernmental commission between Togo and Russia was held in the city of Lome.

The agenda items included: trade, industry, energy, agriculture, and transport. Above all, a project embodying Lome's ambition, the "Lome-Sahel Energy Corridor," based on liquefied natural gas, which was developed in consultation with the member states of the Alliance of Sahel States.

This is a comprehensive and clear African vision, far from the sterile divisions between French-speaking and English-speaking countries long entrenched by the Elysee Palace.

Symbolic Significance
In Niger, the situation carries greater symbolic significance, as the country possesses one of the richest uranium reserves in the world, yet its people live in total darkness.

Consultations by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev resulted in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Rosatom and the Nigerien Ministry of Mines and Energy regarding an integrated civilian nuclear program.

This program goes beyond mere uranium extraction, as Rosatom commits to building power generation plants, training experts, and even developing infrastructure for nuclear medicine.

Minister Sergei Tsivilev expressed this frankly, stating: "Our goal is not just to participate in uranium mining; we must create an integrated system for developing peaceful nuclear energy in Niger, so that electricity is available to every citizen."

Cooperation contracts with the former colonial power allowed Niger to export raw uranium to operate French power plants, while Nigerien families remained immersed in darkness.

45.7 Million Euros
In Mali, the state-owned transport and logistics company and the Russian giant KAMAZ signed a contract worth more than 45.7 million euros.

The contract is not limited to purchasing vehicles; it includes clauses for establishing a maintenance workshop in Bamako, supplying spare parts, technology transfer, and training Malian teams in Kazan, Russia.

Furthermore, the ambition to establish a KAMAZ vehicle assembly plant on Malian soil is on the table.

For decades, the West sold vehicles to Sahelian armies while being extremely careful to protect patents and factories. Russia, for its part, shows willingness to share its expertise from an industrial perspective.

Preliminary Stage
In this context, Russia announced, at a preliminary stage, the possibility of implementing investment projects worth billions of dollars in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

This came through statements by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, made last Wednesday on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, indicating that only projects that yield economic benefits for both investors and the countries concerned will be considered.

Consequently, the mentioned amount refers to planned investments whose financing arrangements are still under discussion. The mentioned fields include geological exploration, advanced technologies, and digital platforms.

For France, the convergence between Russia and many governments in the Sahel region is one of the most sensitive aspects of this strategy. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, military authorities have severed ties with long-standing Western partners and turned to relying on the forces of the Africa Corps.