Russia decides to supply Mali with 160,000 tons of oil products on monthly basis
Russia announced on Friday that it will supply Mali with between 160,000 and 200,000 tons of petroleum products per month to support its economy.
This comes amid a fuel crisis, particularly due to the blockade imposed by armed groups on some areas and their ban on the entry of fuel from neighboring countries.
Alexei Koilikov, Russia’s Director of International Relations at the African Department, said in a statement following his reception at the Kolouba Palace by Mali’s transitional president, General Assimi Goita, that he and the Malian Minister of Economy discussed a plan to supply Mali with petroleum products on a monthly basis.
Koilikov explained that the purpose of his visit is to discuss issues related to the distribution of petroleum products, fertilizers, and wheat, within the framework of cooperation between Russia and Africa, especially Mali.
He spoke of a shared will between Moscow and Bamako to consolidate their economic and strategic relations, stressing that Mali is a friendly country and ally of Russia.
We’re here to support a strategic partner and continue the spirit of cooperation we inherited from the Soviet Union.
For his part, Simeon, a representative of the Mineral Resources Exploration and Exploitation Company in Mali, said that he submitted a report to Goita on the gold refinery project in Mali and the progress of its work.
According to a statement issued by the Malian presidency, Simeon spoke about “holding two working meetings this week with the new members of the board of directors appointed by the Malian state,” adding that “the first official meeting of the refinery company’s board of directors will be held next November, with the full Russian delegation in attendance”.
The Malian presidency considered the visit of the Russian delegation, which was accompanied by Malian Minister of Economy and Finance, Husseini Sanou, and Minister of Mines, Amadou Keita, to reflect the depth of the strategic partnership between Mali and Russia, which has now expanded to include the fields of energy, agriculture, and mining, having previously been limited to the military aspect.
The Malian presidency stressed that in an international context characterized by the reshaping of alliances, Mali, through this cooperation with Russia, is consolidating its economic sovereignty, based on partnerships based on mutual benefit.
Mali and Russia signed several cooperation agreements last June during Goita’s visit to the country, his second after participating in the Russia-Africa Summit in July 2023.
The signed agreements covered the peaceful use of nuclear energy, defining the foundations of relations between the two countries, and establishing a governmental committee for trade and economic cooperation.
