Niger and Russia signed Monday in the capital city of the West African state Niamey, an agreement on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the field of defense, media said.
The document was signed by the Nigerian Defense Minister Salifou Mody and the Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Yunus-Bek Evkurouv, during his visit to Niger. The Russian delegation was subsequently received in audience by the head of Niger's National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), Abdourahamane Tchiani.
Russia has recently intensified military cooperation with the countries in the Sahel region. In late August, Evkurov, met alternately with the Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traore and the Malian leader Assimi Goita to discuss the possibility of reinforcing the defense and military partnership between the states.
Another Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Alexander Fomin, has said that Russia has agreements on military-technical cooperation with 30 African states, noting that six more are in line.