Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the creation of a logistics naval facility in eastern Sudan on the Red Sea. The naval base will be capable of mooring nuclear-powered surface vessels and will serve for carrying out repairs and replenishing supplies and for the crewmembers of Russian naval ships to have a rest.
The facility will be capable of accommodating up to 300 military and civilian personnel and improve Russia’s ability to operate in the Indian Ocean and by extension extend Russia’s footprint and reach in Africa. The deal provides that a maximum of four warships may stay at the naval base, including naval ships with the nuclear propulsion system.
The agreement on the Russian navy base was reached in November 2017 during a visit by former President Omer al-Bashir to Moscow where he proposed to establish a military base in Sudan saying that his country needs protection against U.S. plans against his country. After the collapse of the al-Bashir regime in April 2019, the Sudanese government did not withdraw from the agreement. The head of the Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, during a visit to Russia in October 2019 called for strengthening cooperation between the two countries.
Moscow is intent on increasing her influence in Africa, a continent with 54 United Nations member states, sprawling mineral wealth, and potentially lucrative markets for Russian-manufactured weapons.
