PUTIN WOOS AFRICAN LEADERS AT SHOWCASE SUMMIT, SAYS RUSSIA IS BETTER PARTNER THAN 'COLONIAL' WEST. (PHOTO).

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 Putin woos African leaders at showcase summit, says Russia is better partner than 'colonial' West President Vladimir Putin told African leaders ​on Wednesday that Russia was their best partner, accusing what he cast as a colonial West of still trying ‌to exploit the continent's resources and using debt to hold back development, Reuters reported. The Kremlin chief was speaking at the third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, a two-day event attended by African leaders and government delegations from 48 countries, during which he will hold one-on-one talks with many of the 22 individual African leaders ​attending on everything from trade to security, arms deals and grain supplies. "Africa is increasingly asserting itself as one of the key players in the global economy and politics. However, the emergence of a multipolar world is, of ​course, no easy task; it faces resistance from countries that are not prepared to accept this reality: those who are accustomed to ​thinking i...

U. S, TO COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL FROM NIGER'S AIR BASE 101 ON SUNDAY. (PHOTO).


 US to complete withdrawal from Niger's Air Base 101 on Sunday


The U.S. military is set to complete the withdrawal on Sunday of its personnel from Niger's Air Base 101 in the nation's capital and then shift its focus to exiting a major drone base in the coming weeks, a U.S. general said on Friday, Reuters reported.


Niger's ruling junta in April ordered the U.S. to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country, in an embarrassing setback for Washington that followed a coup last year.


Before the coup, Niger had been a key partner in the U.S. fight against insurgents in the Sahel region of Africa, who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. Washington is searching for a Plan B in West Africa but officials caution that U.S. intelligence on fast-growing extremist groups in the region is dimming.


Air Force Major General Kenneth Ekman, who is on the ground in Niger to coordinate the departure, said the U.S. exit from Air Base 101 will be finalized with a ceremony. The base is located next to Diori Hamani International Airport in the capital Niamey.


"We will do a joint ceremony on that occasion that marks the departure of the last U.S. C-17 (aircraft). The government of Niger will assume control of former U.S. areas and facilities," Ekman said, speaking by video conference.


As the U.S. exits, Russia has deployed a number of military forces to the same base, where they are carrying out training activities.


U.S. officials say there has been no contact between U.S. and Russian personnel there and Ekman stressed he has received assurances from Niger the forces will be kept separate.


"When I last talked to a Nigerian interlocutor, he quantified the presence of Russian forces as under 100. And he also talked about when the Russians are done training them, they have told the Russians that they have to go home," Ekman said.

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