Summary: The US signals that restoring democracy is no longer a priority and it is ready to work with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The US has declared a stark policy shift towards three West African countries which are battling Islamist insurgents and whose military governments have broken defence ties with France and turned towards Russia.
The state department announced that Nick Checker, head of its Bureau of African Affairs, would visit Mali's capital Bamako to convey the United States' "respect for Mali's sovereignty" and chart a "new course" in relations, moving "past policy missteps".
It adds that the US also looks forward to co-operating with Mali's allies, neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, "on shared security and economic interests".
Original source: Read the original article on www.bbc.com
