At a briefing, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova emphasized that Russia considers it of utmost importance to facilitate a national dialogue in Niger and prevent the situation in the country from deteriorating further. Moscow is closely monitoring the developments in Niger and views it as a pressing priority to initiate a national dialogue aimed at restoring civil peace, maintaining law and order, and fostering stability in the nation.
"The threat of using force against a sovereign state will not contribute to defusing tensions or resolving the situation in the country," Zakharova said.
As a positive factor, Zakharova noted that the development of events in Niger is unfolding in a peaceful manner and has not resulted in human casualties. However, she also acknowledged that "the country is facing a difficult security situation and an extremely challenging socio-economic environment for its population, contributing to the current crisis."
"When seeking solutions to the conflict in Niger, we remain committed to the principle of 'African Solution to African Problems.' We have confidence that robust mediation efforts will be undertaken to assist Nigerian society in overcoming the crisis through the African Union and subregional organizations. We express our hope that the people of Niger, with whom we have long-standing relations of friendship and cooperation, will successfully navigate through this challenging period in their history. Our aim is to further develop the entire range of mutually beneficial bilateral ties," Zakharova added.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Florstein/Creative Commons 4.0
Based on materials from TASS