Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ended his African tour with a working visit to Chad on Wednesday. His trip included stops in Guinea, the Republic of Congo, and Burkina Faso.
Lavrov met with his Chadian counterpart Abderaman Koulamallah, before a brief meeting with President Mahatma Deby. Lavrov’s visit follows the visit by the Chadian President to Russia in January.
Aware that Central Africa and West Africa have been considered France’s sphere of influence for decades, he stressed that Russia’s relations with Chad are not intended to turn it against other countries.
“I can guarantee you that our friendship with Chad will not affect our relations with France in any way. France has other approaches, it proceeds from the fact that either you are with us or you are against us,” he said.
Before he arrived in Ndjamena, Lavrov met with Burkina-Faso leader, Ibrahim Traore in Ouagadougou where he was awarded the country’s highest civilian honour.
Following the meeting, the long-standing envoy said his country would send more military supplies and instructors to Burkina Faso to help the West African country boost its defences and combat terrorism.
“From the very first contacts between our countries after President (Ibrahim) Traoré came to power, we have been very closely engaged in all areas of cooperation, including the development of military and military-technical ties”.
“I have no doubt that thanks to this cooperation, the remaining pockets of terrorism on the territory of Burkina Faso will be destroyed,” Lavrov told a press conference.
Growing Russian security and military ties with Africa, especially with the Sahel countries including countries have become a source of worry to the West.