The ECOWAS breakaway states of Burkina Faso and Mali are on the verge of signing a nuclear deal with one of their most prevalent international partners, Russia.
- Burkina Faso and Mali are finalizing a nuclear energy agreement with Russia, assigning Rosatom to oversee implementation.
- The agreement entails constructing nuclear power plants and research reactors to boost civilian energy capacities.
- Russia already has a significant role in Burkina Faso’s energy and mining sectors, including recent licensing for gold mining.
The move, which was sanctioned by the Russian government, entrusts Russia’s state atomic energy firm, Rosatom, with overseeing the agreements on Moscow’s behalf.
DON’T MISS THIS: From soldier to Symbol: How Ibrahim Traoré is becoming Africa’s most loved and unapologetic leader
According to the proposed agreements, Russia would assist both Mali and Burkina Faso in the building of nuclear power facilities and research reactors.
As per a report by Sputnik, Rosatom will supply crucial services connected to the nuclear fuel cycle, firmly putting Russia at the foundation of the two countries’ efforts to utilize nuclear energy for civilian purposes.
The initiative builds on Russia’s expanding position in Burkina Faso’s energy industry.
In October 2024, Rosatom and Burkina Faso signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a nuclear power facility in the West African country.
Talks ramped up in March 2025, when both sides stated they were working on a proposal to build the facility, which is anticipated to ease energy constraints and spur industrial growth.
In April 2025, Burkina Faso’s military-led administration issued an industrial mining license to Nordgold, a Russian gold mining corporation, to commence operations on a new gold mine.
The move came at a time when gold prices were skyrocketing and governments were looking for new revenue streams to help their faltering economies.
Russia and its AES friends in recent months
SEE ALSO: Russian weapons and specialists reach breakaway ECOWAS countries
The growing collaboration coincides with a momentous political transition in West Africa. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, collectively known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), announced their formal exit from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on January 29, 2025.
The group levied sanctions and criticized the military coups that installed the present administrations, causing the three to distance themselves from Western institutions.
This realignment has resulted in the embrace of Russian backing in vital sectors. In September 2024, the three countries signed agreements with Moscow to buy communications and surveillance satellites.
These technologies seek to improve border security and enable encrypted communications across AES nations, thereby strengthening Russian influence in the region’s security architecture.
