Three Sahel military states sign satellite deal with Russia

According to reports in The Defense Post The military regimes of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso have signed a deal to purchase telecommunications and surveillance satellite technology from Russia. Mali Finance Minister Alousséni Sanou said that the acquisition of the technology would “boost border and national security, secure military communications, and improve disaster monitoring and response among the Sahel countries”. Since rising to power, the military regimes have formed closer ties with Russia, moving away from Western countries. The three countries also created a confederation called the “Alliance of Sahel States” in September 2023, which grew from a mutual defense pact aimed at strengthening security across their shared borders.