In conjunction with the recent signing of a “Confederal Union” treaty by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in Niamey, Saddam Haftar, Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces of the “General Command,” arrived in Burkina Faso last Tuesday.
Three days after the announcement of the trilateral alliance, which marked a break with the rest of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Saddam Haftar met with Transitional President Ibrahim Traoré in Ouagadougou. This visit is Haftar’s first official trip to Burkina Faso since his appointment as Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces of the General Command.
Various sources reported that the two sides discussed ways to enhance security and military cooperation, including the exchange of expertise in combating organized crime and terrorism. The visit also aimed to strengthen Libya’s relations with African countries and expand cooperation in various fields.
According to the Russian newspaper “Vedemosti,” Russia is behind this visit as it seeks to consolidate its influence in Libya and the Sahel region. Moscow has significantly increased its presence, especially in military technology. This move has raised concerns in the United States, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stating that Russia’s efforts to deepen its foothold in Libya and use it as a base to further destabilize the Sahel region are worrying. He noted that approximately 1,800 Russian-backed forces are currently in Libya.
Recent media reports revealed that around 1,500 Russian fighters have arrived in eastern Libya as part of Russia’s plan to replace the Wagner Group with the “New African Corps,” with different and potentially more influential roles in Libya and other African countries.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has taken practical steps to coordinate with General Command leader Khalifa Haftar on the establishment of the “African Corps” and its leadership. Libya is likely to become a central hub for the corps, evidenced by repeated visits from Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov to Benghazi in recent months, along with visits from General Command military delegations to Niger.
Russia has intensified its military activities in eastern Libya over the past three months. A report from “Military Africa” revealed that Russian cargo planes arrived at Al-Shati airbase in Libya, while cargo ships loaded with military equipment and weapons arrived at the port of Tobruk earlier.
These developments have raised increasing Western concerns, especially after the decline of French influence in Africa in recent times. Russia has worked to win over the military councils that led coups in several African countries, such as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. The Russian corps aims to increase its numbers in Africa to around 40,000 fighters after the US forces left base 101 in Niger.
The newly formed confederation was described by the leaders of the three countries during the summit as establishing an economic bloc that will be a complementary space for West African countries. The people of the three nations have decided to turn their backs on ECOWAS irrevocably, with the Sahel Union as the official alternative to any foreign-controlled regional group.
The statements by the alliance leaders went beyond justifying the coups to attempting to change the geopolitical landscape and balance of power in a region experiencing international military and economic conflicts.
Observers believe the new union’s implications will not only challenge Europe’s handling of migration flows through Libya and its investments in Africa but also confront Russia’s growing influence in the region.