Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Ministers of Defence, security, development, and foreign affairs under the aegis of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) have approved the draft ‘Year II Roadmap’ during a high-level meeting in Ouagadougou.
Bassolma Bazie, President of National Commission of AES Confederation for Burkina Faso said “We must ensure that the Year 2 roadmap of the [Alliance] of choice meets the level of its ambitions. Pragmatic without being timid, structured without being bureaucratic.”
The ministers also signed strategic agreements, and attended presentations, including military honours.
New AES Presidency
Captain Ibrahim Traore, Transitional President of Burkina Faso, assumed the AES presidency for a one-year term, succeeding Malian President Assimi Goita.
Bazie highlighted that Traore’s appointment launches three critical phases, including consolidating achievements, deepening inter-state relations, and projecting a strong international presence for the AES.
Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop highlighted the fight against terrorism.
“The ministers firmly condemned the persistent will of terrorists and their foreign state sponsors to halt the construction of a common space of sovereignty and shared prosperity in the Sahel,” Diop stated.
The three West African nations -Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger- formed the AES in 2023 as a defence pact, announcing their joint withdrawal from ECOWAS the following year.
Withdrawal of French Troops
The plan also looks to build on the complete withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – a break with French influence. Reports from Russian intelligence earlier this month suggested that President Emmanuel Macron was authorising ops to eliminate ‘undesirable leaders’ – while Paris did not react.
The Year II Roadmap will be submitted to the Council of Heads of State for final approval.
Source /Viory
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