Russian foreign minister has accused France of backing armed groups in the region
Moscow is alarmed by reports that Ukrainian military personnel are involved in operations carried out by illegal armed groups against countries in Africa’s Sahel region, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.
Speaking after talks with Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Monday, Lavrov argued that the involvement of serving troops, rather than individual mercenaries, indicated activity conducted at the state level.
The Russian minister also accused former colonial powers of fueling terrorism in Africa. “It is no secret that this is done by France, which directly works with illegal armed groups, arms them, finances them and instructs them,” he said.
“First and foremost, [France] instructs them on creating problems for those countries, in this case in the Sahara-Sahel region, that have decided to finally, completely and irreversibly break with their former colonizers and are consistently pursuing this course,” Lavrov stressed.
Sahel countries have been fighting a jihadist insurgency since 2012, with years of conflict, displacement, and climate-related shocks contributing to a severe humanitarian crisis. In 2023, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – three military-led former French colonies – established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after cutting defense ties with Paris and accusing France of failing to curb the insurgency. The three nations have since strengthened cooperation with Russia. Relations between Bamako and Paris have meanwhile deteriorated further, with Malian officials accusing France of supporting armed groups active in the Sahel.
Ablakwa, meanwhile, described the Sahel as the “global epicenter for terrorism, violent extremism.” He said that Ghana and Russia had agreed to work together to support Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali in addressing the security challenges facing the region.
The Ghanaian foreign minister also thanked Moscow for supporting a UN resolution that declared transatlantic enslavement a grave crime against humanity. “We see in Russia a reliable partner,” Ablakwa noted.
Russia and Ghana are set to sign an agreement allowing visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and service passports. Lavrov said the measure is expected to facilitate contacts between the two governments in areas ranging from foreign policy and trade to investment, humanitarian exchanges and education.
Moscow and Accra also agreed to sign a memorandum on cooperation between their media organizations. Ablakwa noted that the initiative would initially establish ties involving RT and Sputnik Africa on the Russian side and Ghana’s GBC, before potentially expanding to private media outlets.
