RT reported that the governments of Sao Tome and Principe have signed a military cooperation agreement with Russia, according to a document published on Moscow's legal portal on May 5.
According to the document, the agreement to enhance international peace and stability was signed in St. Petersburg. Petersburg (Russia) on April 24, 2024 and takes effect on May 5, 2024.
In a long-standing partnership, Russia and the African island nation will exchange experiences in areas including joint military training, armed force recruitment and military technical assistance.
The two sides also agreed to share information and expertise in combating terrorism in the region and globally.
The signing comes after the Russian government approved a draft security cooperation treaty with Sao Tome and Principe in November last year.
In an interview with RT on the sidelines of the 12th International Conference of high-ranking representatives on security issues, where the agreement was signed, Mr. Jorge Amado, Defense Minister of Sao Tome and Principe, welcomed Russia's efforts in the global war against extreme violence.
He said Sao Tome and Principe - a small country of about 223,000 people - believe that cooperation with Russia and other friendly countries could help overcome current global security challenges.
Moscow has pledged to strengthen relations in a number of areas, including defense, with African countries.
The military governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have all praised Russia as a reliable security partner after severing defense ties with France. All three former French colonies have agreed to cooperate with Russia to fight the jihadist uprising in the Sahel region, which they accuse the West of failing to resolve.
In Niger, the new leadership, which took power after the coup last July, has also revoked a decades-long military deal with the US and said the US military is not welcome in the country.
Last week, the Pentagon confirmed that Russian forces in Niamey to train soldiers from the landlocked country had advanced to a base where the US military was stationed.
