Niger has an urgent need for helicopters to fight terrorists in the Eastern and Northern regions of the country, and therefore intends to sign a contract for their purchase from Russia in October this year, Niger Foreign Minister Kallo Ankourao said, according to RIA Novosti.
"In October, we will sign a contract for the purchase of Russian helicopters. We are not talking about buying fifty helicopters but about supplying those who do not have them at all, to resist Boko Haram (terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation - ed.) on the Eastern front, Libya on the Northern front, Mali on the Western front-it is very important for us", - the Agency quotes the Minister.
Ankourao also said that now more than a hundred cadets from Niger graduate from Russian military academies. Most likely, they will work with Russian military equipment.
Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following the talks with his colleague Kalla Ankourao said that Russia and Niger have good prospects in the development of military-technical cooperation, including the fight against terrorism.
Niger is a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Islam is practiced by 80% of the population.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: МИД РФ