Hommam Al Nassim 
Niger’s President General Abderrahmane Tiani discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin strengthening security cooperation during a phone call on Tuesday.
The need to strengthen security cooperation in light of the diverse security threats in the region was emphasized, and the two leaders also discussed “projects for multisectoral and comprehensive strategic cooperation,” according to Niger’s official statement, which did not elaborate.
General Tiani thanked Russia’s support for Niger, stressing the importance of continuing efforts to strengthen national sovereignty and enhance security in the region.
The Kremlin said in a statement that the two sides expressed “their readiness to activate a political dialogue and develop mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.”
“They also exchanged views on the situation in the Sahara and Sahel region, focusing on coordinating measures to ensure security and combat terrorism,” the Kremlin statement added.
In mid-January, Russia announced that it had agreed to intensify its military cooperation with Niger.
The call came as part of efforts to enhance security cooperation between the two countries, especially in light of the security challenges facing the region, where Niger and its neighbors Burkina Faso and Mali have been suffering from repeated and bloody violence for years, perpetrated by extremist groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
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