The withdrawal of the US contingent from Niger will mark a significant milestone for the African country in its journey towards liberation from Western neocolonial influence. This opinion was expressed by Alexander Stepanov, a military expert, program director of the Academy of Political Sciences, and senior researcher at the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in a conversation with TASS.
"The withdrawal of the US contingent from Niger, announced on June 8, is another milestone in the country's history towards its final liberation from Western neocolonial influence. At the same time, it may indicate that the country's authorities have taken a definitive course to ensure its sovereignty, including in the field of security," Stepanov said.
According to Stepanov, the CIA is actively developing a strategy to counter Russia and China in Africa as part of Washington's general imperative for global escalation within the framework of a total hybrid war. This war employs international terrorist organizations and other controlled formations and regimes as the main proxy tools.
Stepanov pointed out that Russia's obvious goal is to assist local authorities in ensuring national security. "The deployment of a base in the region is generally justified. It will allow Russia to solve the tasks of assisting regional allies in accordance with international agreements, ensure the security of Russian corporate assets, and promote other areas of cooperation, such as with Rosatom or Roscosmos," he specified.
He also emphasized the importance of education in military cooperation, noting that local servicemen studying at Russian higher military educational institutions are crucial. "Currently, more than 2,500 servicemen from African countries are studying in our training centers. Most of them are future representatives of the national military elite and proponents of long-term cooperation with our country," the expert explained.
"These specialists will be able to build a sovereign national security system, modernize their countries' armed forces, introduce new technological solutions, and deploy the most advanced weapons. Therefore, developing military-technical cooperation and ensuring the supply of military products suited for regional conditions in the fight against international terrorist organizations is undoubtedly important. This comprehensive cooperation will ensure the development of Russia's long-term strategic partnership with the African continent," Stepanov concluded.
On the Withdrawal of US Troops from Niger
On June 8, the US and Niger announced the beginning of the withdrawal of US troops from the African country. The agreement on the withdrawal of the US contingent was reached in mid-May. Before the 2023 coup that ousted Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum by the head of the Presidential Guard, Abdourahamane Tchiani, US troops provided training and intelligence operations for the republic's forces. In March, Niger terminated a military agreement with the United States that established a US UAV base in the north of the country. The authorities pointed out that the agreement was imposed and not in the interests of the people. By the end of 2023, there were about 1,100 US military personnel in Niger, most of them stationed at an airbase near Agadez.
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Based on materials from TASS