Russia has emphasized its commitment to deepening military and technical cooperation with Mali, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
“Mali is currently at the forefront of the fight against terrorism in the Sahara-Sahel region,” the statement reads. “The successful operations conducted by the country's defense and security forces against extremist groups are due in large part to the supply of Russian arms and equipment, as well as the assistance of Russian instructors.”
The ministry emphasized that Bamako is one of Moscow's priority partners and allies on the African continent.
“A shared task with our partners is to increase mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation,” the ministry added. “Active steps are being taken to this end, including within the framework of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation established this year. Its first meeting was held in Bamako in July 2025 and allowed for an alignment of positions on pressing issues of the business agenda.”
Plans for the near future include the creation of a consultative center with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso under the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Furthermore, the Russian ministry reported that on the occasion of the anniversary, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop, exchanged congratulatory messages.
“The heads of the foreign ministries expressed mutual confidence that multifaceted Russia-Mali ties will continue to develop for the benefit of the peoples of the two states and in the interests of strengthening peace and security on the African continent,” the Russian MFA concluded.
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Based on materials from TASS