According to the Kremlin, the two reaffirmed their dedication to fostering their relationship and combating terrorism.

Assimi Goita, the interim president of Mali, and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke on the phone on Tuesday. The Sahel region, which has experienced terrorist bloodshed for more than ten years, was one of the topics they discussed.

Based on “agreements reached” at the most recent Russia-Africa summit, both leaders reaffirmed their willingness to “further enhance trade and economic relations, cooperation in providing security, and fighting terrorism,” according to a statement released by the Kremlin.

Following the Second Russia-Africa Summit in July, the Russian president and his Mali counterpart have been speaking on the phone frequently lately. Following Moscow’s departure from the Black Sea grain deal, Putin pledged during the conference to provide up to 50,000 tonnes of free grain to some African nations, notably Mali, in an effort to prevent a food crisis.

The Mali leader “expressed appreciation for the varied assistance provided by Russia,” according to the Kremlin’s statement on Tuesday.

“I talked about our cooperation with President Putin in the areas of economics, security, and counterterrorism. I thanked Russia for all of the assistance it gives to Mali, Goita added in a statement published on X (previously Twitter).

Goita thanked Putin for stopping the UN from renewing its sanctions against Bamako during their phone discussion last month. This effectively put an end to the system that had permitted the UN to impose asset and travel blocks on the government of the African nation.

The two spoke in an earlier call in August about the recent coup in Niger, which spurred threats from outsiders to impose democratic rule by force. Putin reaffirmed Russia’s position and urged a diplomatic solution to the problem.