Russia and Senegal to expand energy and mining relations – Moscow

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov has held talks with the Senegalese president and minister of African Integration in Dakar

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov was received in Dakar by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye during a working trip on Wednesday.  

The sides discussed joint projects in energy, mining and processing of minerals, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement.  

“The issues of increasing trade and economic and investment partnership volumes, improving the contractual and legal framework, and implementing promising joint projects in the fields of geological exploration, extraction and processing of minerals, energy, fisheries, and agriculture were also thoroughly examined,” the ministry added. 

Bogdanov also held talks with the Senegalese minister of African integration and foreign affairs, Yassine Fall. 

The ministry noted that during the meetings, a comprehensive set of issues related to the further strengthening of friendly Russian-Senegalese relations was discussed in detail. 

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Considerable emphasis was placed on the sustainable development of Russian-African cooperation in light of the results of the second Russia-Africa Summit held in St. Petersburg in July 2023. Additionally, the parties discussed the preparations for the upcoming ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa partnership forum, set to take place in Sochi in November. 

Alongside representatives of the Senegalese government, Bogdanov participated in the ceremonial official opening of the headquarters of the ‘Russia-Africa-Eurasia’ Chamber of Commerce and Investment in Dakar, aimed at partnering with the Russian NGO ‘Coordinating Committee for Economic Cooperation with African Countries’. 

The Russian Embassy in Senegal reported that the diplomat had given Bassirou Diomaye Faye a message from President Vladimir Putin, but the details of the message were not disclosed. 

Meanwhile, on Sunday the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) appointed the president of Senegal to mediate a dialogue with the military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger with the aim of returning stability to the region after the three countries left the bloc in January.  

During its summit in Abuja, Nigeria, Omar Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, announced that Faye, who became Africa’s youngest leader when he took office in April, “has all the qualifications required to serve as a facilitator.”