
For a long time, the traditional partners for trade and military cooperation for most African countries have been Western countries such as France, Italy, and the USA. But then, came the wave of coups across the Sahel region which changed the game and brought in African leaders such as Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso and Assimi Goita of Mali. Coming into power, these leaders set out to challenge how things were done, and in just a few months into their stay in power, they quickly kicked out the old colonial power and sought out cooperation with other foreign countries that would work with them on an equal ground. Ibrahim Traore for example, has not only sought relations with other foreign countries such as Iran and Venezuela, but he has also set out to build diplomatic relations with one of the biggest rivals of the West, Russia.