Mali's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop expressed gratitude towards Russia for its consistent assistance to African countries, emphasizing Russia's reliability in keeping its promises during a press conference following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
"Mali appreciates the Russian Federation's unwavering support and aid, particularly in the provision of humanitarian assistance, including exports of wheat, fertilizers, and diesel fuel," stated the foreign minister of the African republic.
Diop underscored the strengthening of ties between the two nations following the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Mali's transitional president Assimi Goita at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023.
Food security emerges as a crucial area of collaboration between Russia and Mali. Recently, Russia supplied 25,000 tons of grain to Mali free of charge. Moreover, Moscow allocated $2 million in July 2023 to procure additional food supplies for Mali through UN channels. The forthcoming Moscow meeting of foreign ministers is expected to address food supply matters, along with discussions on political, trade, economic cooperation, regional dynamics, and military-technical collaboration.
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Photo: Vyacheslav Prokofiev/TASS
Based on materials from TASS