Russia To Increase Energy & Infrastructure Investment Projects Across The Sahel and African Belt

Sergey Tsivilev, the Russian Minister for Energy, has stated that Russia is expanding cooperation with African countries “through the line of intergovernmental commissions, the number of which is growing,” the minister said, adding that he headed the intergovernmental commission with Mali and held its first meeting in July during a visit to members of the Alliance of Sahel States, which was formed in September 2023 by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Tsivlev said, “We are counting on completing the creation of intergovernmental commissions with Burkina Faso and Niger by the end of the year. We agreed with the energy ministers of the Sahel countries to expand cooperation. We’re not limiting ourselves to the fuel and energy sector but are considering a whole set of measures aimed at the balanced and efficient development of African countries’ economies. Specifically, there is a possibility to implement joint projects that benefit several countries at once. This is joint use of ports, construction of railways, refining plants, and so on.”

Russia has also been developing diplomatic and trade relations with other African countries, such as Nigeria and Chad, and has just signed a comprehensive strategic memorandum with Sudan.

These can act as a link between West and East Africa and via Yemen, through to the Middle East and beyond to Central and South Asia. What is developing is essentially a Russian version of China’s Belt & Road Initiative, yet it links West Africa to South Asia via the Middle East.

European-era colonialism and a habit of exploiting many of these countries’ resources yet without adequately compensating for them have left many of these countries wary of European investment and, at the same time, undeveloped. That has also led to conflict and resentment within some of these countries, with Europe at times encouraging discord in order to prevent political unity.

However, China and Russia’s joint calls for better agreements, both through China’s Belt & Road Initiative and increasingly what can be seen as Russia’s version of the same, are beginning to make an impact. Tsivilev’s comments that Russia will be developing infrastructure throughout the region are a key sign that Africa’s development will come from the East and not the West.