Russia’s Defense Minister, Andrei Belousov, met with Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire J. Kyelem de Tambela, in Moscow to expand military cooperation between the two nations.
This move is part of Russia’s broader strategy to enhance its influence in Africa, countering Western powers.
The meeting comes after President Putin’s re-election in March, which African newspapers saw as reinforcing the stance of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
Burkina Faso, under military leadership since 2022, has hosted Wagner mercenary forces, whose founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash this year.
In June, Russia pledged additional military supplies and instructors to Burkina Faso to combat terrorism. Despite investing relatively little in Africa, Russia remains the second-largest arms supplier to sub-Saharan Africa.
At the 2023 Russia-Africa Summit, Putin announced military-technical agreements with 40 African countries, paving the way for increased Russian arms sales.
Belousov emphasized that Russia-Burkina relations are built on mutual respect and consideration of each other’s interests, with positive dynamics in recent years. As Russia seeks to expand its African presence, the international community watches closely.
