By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Mali’s Minister of Economy, Alousseini Sanou on Wednesday said the West African country is expecting Russia to send fuel, fertiliser and food worth around $100 million to Bamako in the coming weeks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the provision of such supplies with his Malian counterpart in August, an indication of a deepening ties between the two countries as Bamako’s relations with long time ally and former colonial ruler, France comes under strain.
Speaking on national television from Moscow, Sanou said Russia was going to send 60,000 tonnes of petroleum products, 30,000 tonnes of fertiliser and 25,000 tonnes of wheat.
Mali’s ruling military junta came to power in a 2020 coup and has sparred repeatedly with neighbouring countries and Western powers over election delays, alleged army abuses and cooperation with Russian mercenaries in its fight against an Islamist insurgency.
Fighters from the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-linked private military company, have been supporting the Malian army in its fight since late last year.
In October, Putin told Mali’s interim president, Assimi Goita, that Moscow was committed to strengthening cooperation to help root out “terrorist groups” in Mali
