Faith Nyasuguta
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are moving closer to launching the Sahel region’s first shared telecommunications satellite through a partnership with Russia, signalling a major step in both technological development and geopolitical realignment for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The proposed satellite project was discussed during high-level talks in Ouagadougou between Russian Ambassador Igor Martynov and Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister Jean Emmanuel Ouedraogo. According to officials, the meeting focused on expanding cooperation in space technology, with the aim of deploying a Russian-built telecommunications satellite that would serve all three AES members.
The presence of Russian cosmonaut Alexandre Gorbounov at the talks added symbolic weight to the discussions, underscoring Moscow’s commitment to deepening space and technology ties with the Sahel bloc.
If completed, the satellite would provide a wide range of services, including broadband internet, mobile communications and broadcasting capabilities across vast stretches of the Sahel where traditional infrastructure remains weak or nonexistent. Large parts of the region struggle with limited connectivity due to poor road networks, sparse power supply and insecurity, making satellite-based systems an attractive solution.
Beyond civilian communications, the project is also expected to support security and governance functions. Officials say satellite and remote sensing technology could help governments monitor borders, track armed group movements, respond to natural disasters and improve coordination across remote territories. Encrypted communications systems could also strengthen military and state operations.
The initiative builds on earlier cooperation between Russia and the AES countries. In September 2024, ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger met representatives of Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, to explore joint satellite programmes covering telecommunications and earth observation. Those talks laid the groundwork for closer collaboration aimed at boosting digital connectivity and strengthening national security capabilities.
For the AES, investing in space technology is part of a broader strategy to assert sovereignty and reduce dependence on Western partners. Since forming the alliance, the three countries have sought to develop homegrown solutions in security, infrastructure and communications after years of relying heavily on foreign assistance. Leaders have repeatedly emphasized the need for technological independence as they reshape their political and economic alliances.
Russia, meanwhile, continues to expand its footprint in the Sahel as Western influence declines. Following the withdrawal of French and other Western forces from the region, Moscow has positioned itself as a key security and diplomatic partner. It was also the first country to formally recognize the Alliance of Sahel States, strengthening ties through defence, energy and now space cooperation.
Analysts say a jointly operated communications satellite would represent more than just a technological upgrade. It would symbolize a new era of strategic alignment between Russia and the Sahel bloc, potentially reshaping partnerships in West Africa.
If realised, the project could transform connectivity across the region while marking a significant milestone in Africa’s growing ambitions in space and satellite technology.
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