On June 10, 2024, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) held a seminar in Lagos themed “Geopolitical and Geostrategic Competition in Sahel: Positions of Russia, the U.S., France and the EU.” The seminar was attended by heads of security departments, scholars and researchers at NIIA. The Russian delegation included representatives from the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), MGIMO University and HSE University.
On June 10, 2024, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) and the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) held a seminar in Lagos themed “Geopolitical and Geostrategic Competition in Sahel: Positions of Russia, the U.S., France and the EU.” The seminar was attended by heads of security departments, scholars and researchers at NIIA. The Russian delegation included representatives from the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), MGIMO University and HSE University.
The participants were invited to speak about the specific features of internal social and political processes in the Sahel amid geopolitical and geostrategic competition of Western nations in the region. It was emphasized that as global rivalry intensifies and so-called non-Western actors such as China, Turkey and the UAE emerge in the region, the Sahel nations face new economic, political, peace and security challenges. The participants suggested that the African Union should get involved in developing norms to regulate global competition to combat terrorism, stem migration and rebuild supply chains to address food insecurity.
This first discussion demonstrated the parties’ interest to continue joint deliberations on both regional African problems and matters pertaining to bilateral relations.
