RUSSIA, AES TO COOPERATE ON CONFEDERATION'S JOINT FORCE IN VARIOUS ASPECTS, BURKINA FASO'S FM SAYS. (PHOTO).

 

Russia, AES to Cooperate on Confederation's Joint Force in Various Aspects, Burkina Faso's FM Says

"Naturally, this will involve work on the training aspect—capacity building, exchange of expertise, support—but also on the logistics aspect," Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, Burkina Faso's top diplomat, told Sputnik Africa.

Russia has shown its willingness to support the AES in consolidating its unified force, he added, commenting on Russian FM Lavrov's statements at the meeting with his counterparts from the AES countries.

"Russia has always been a leading partner with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger on a bilateral level," Traore noted, emphasizing a current shift to extend the partnership to the confederation level.

Cooperation with Russia has "borne fruit on the ground" in the fight against terrorism, validating the right choice of the AES countries, the minister pointed out.

*Trump's Tariffs Will Be "Ineffective" for the AES, Burkinabe FM Argues*

"These measures that have been taken by the US impact the West more than our countries," Traoré said in an interview with Sputnik Africa.

The Burkinabe minister, who recently met with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov alongside his Nigerien and Malian counterparts in Moscow, attributed this lack of impact to the fact that the AES members have long been "excluded from international trade because they wanted to confine us to a role of supplier."

According to him, the most important thing is to give a "new momentum" to the Alliance of Sahel States.

*"Kiev Has No Credibility": Burkina Faso Condemns Ukraine's Support for Terrorism*

"When Ukraine publicly claims that it supports terrorism in northern Mali, I fail to see how Burkina Faso can support such a country, because a serious state cannot afford to make such a claim," Burkina Faso's foreign minister said.

The country's top diplomat expressed solidarity with the statements of his Malian counterpart, who called Ukraine a "terrorist state," speaking at a joint presser following Sergey Lavrov's meeting with his AES colleagues in Moscow.

"Terrorism has caused thousands of deaths in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and to see a country that claims to be civilized supporting such a stance is unacceptable to us," the minister said, referring to Ukrainian officials' statements of supporting radicals in the Sahel.

Describing Kiev's actions as "unacceptable," Traore recalled that alliance members had therefore "referred this issue to the Security Council to hold Ukraine accountable."

*Dictatorship of Dollar is Over: Alliance of Sahel States on Path to Its Own Investment Bank*

In an effort to counter the hegemony of the US dollar and other "unjust methods," the Alliance of Sahel States is considering establishing an investment bank, Traore poited out.

"This bank must necessarily align with other financial institutions by using new instruments," he emphasized.

The institution will be tasked with financing the development of the Alliance of Sahel States, the diplomat explained.

The foreign minister also commented on a potential rapprochement between the Alliance of Sahel States and the BRICS, as well as the possible benefits for Ouagadougou from the New Development Bank.

"We cannot continue to work in an environment where we do not have the opportunity to offer a better future to our populations," he added.

*Withdrawal From ECOWAS 'Has Brought Tangible Results' for Burkina Faso*

"This is a choice that today justifies all its relevance. It's a choice that has enabled us to face up to the situation and achieve tangible results on the ground," the top diplomat noted.

The "adversity" of ECOWAS enabled the AES countries to realize their potential, according to the foreign minister emphasized.

"From that moment on, we understood that we had to rely on our own strengths, work on domestic capacities with the support of sincere and serious partners like Russia, and face up to this situation," he noted.

Despite its withdrawal from ECOWAS, Ouagadougou "enjoys very good cooperation with neighboring countries," Traore added.

*For Alliance of Sahel States, BRICS is Symbol of Moving Towards Multipolarity*

"We need to break free from this rigid and outdated framework that concentrates power in the hands of a few countries," Burkina Faso's top diplomat said.

The AES supports multipolarity, and it is interested in working with the BRICS members, the foreign minister noted.

"For us, the opportunity offered, or rather, the perspective emerging through the BRICS is a further opportunity to enable countries that have long been marginalized or confined to find new areas of cooperation," he explained.

Speaking to reporters after Sergey Lavrov's meeting with AES counterparts in Moscow, Traore emphasized that Moscow and the alliance are united in defending multipolarity.