Russia Signs Satellite Deal with Three West African Governments
Officials from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have announced a collaboration with the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos, aimed at jointly developing telecommunication and remote sensing satellites. The partnership was discussed during a signing event on Monday, 23 September, at Bamako, Mali’s Capital. The operation is intended to address key needs in all three countries. These include strengthening national security, managing natural disasters and providing high-speed internet access.
Addressing Critical Needs
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) last year to boost military collaboration. This focus has further expanded to focus on other cooperations. The AES has been battling insecurity and terrorism in their respective countries caused by militants. This highlights the critical need for enhanced surveillance and military capabilities to counter these ongoing threats. At Monday’s press conference, Ilya Tarasenko, the Director General of Glavkosmos, a subsidiary of Roscosmos, emphasised that the partnership is “crucially important” for enhancing security along the countries’ borders. He highlighted the collaboration’s role in improving border surveillance and defence against external threats.
Additionally, Niger’s communications minister, Sidi Mohamed Raliou, highlighted that the satellites would also play a crucial role in helping the countries address the impacts of climate change, which has severely affected West Africa and other parts of the continent. In recent weeks, flooding in the region has led to over 1,000 deaths. It has impacted more than four million people, underscoring the urgent need for better monitoring and disaster management tools.
For communication, Alousséni Sanou, Mali’s Minister of Economy and Finance, announced that the satellites would provide multi-service communication, including internet and phone services, in remote areas with limited infrastructure. He added that the satellites would enable high-speed Internet access through VSAT technology and offer secure, encrypted communications for enhanced connectivity.
Russia’s Expanding Role
This partnership clearly indicates Russia’s growing influence in a region where military-led governments have distanced themselves from the United States and European nations after years of cooperation in fighting extremist groups. This shift reflects the increasing reliance on Russia for military and technological support in West Africa.
“With Russia, we have a more sincere, more reactive relationship better adapted to the current challenges of the A.E.S.,” Mr Sidi Raliou said at the announcement on Monday. Russia has developed successful initiatives in Africa, such as the Angosat-2 telecoms satellite. If successful, the proposed deal with the West African governments could benefit the countries and boost their national capabilities.
Projected Timeline
The government officials provided few details about the arrangement, such as the payment plan and timeline. However, the AES officials have acknowledged that the Russian satellites may take several years to be operational. During a visit to Moscow in March, Mali’s economy minister, Alousséni Sanou, indicated that building and launching the satellites would require at least four years and training many Malian experts to operate them.