AES Summit: A Crucial Step Towards Sovereignty, Security, and Development

The saying «unity is strength holds true in the concrete commitment of the Heads of State of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to the advancement of their nations. Recognizing the need to combine their strengths to effectively safeguard their nations» sovereignty through security and development, these leaders have taken the initiative to engage in ministerial consultations aimed at making the Alliance of the Sahel States (AES) more operational.

This alliance was formally sealed by the signing of the Liptako-Gourma Charter on September 16th.

From November 23rd to December 1st, 2023, Bamako will host these consultations, under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso, Colonel Assimi Goita, President of Mali, and General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of the National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland in Niger. A key event in these ministerial discussions will be the «AES Ministerial Meeting on Economic Development in the Liptako-Gourma Region», scheduled for November 25th, 2023. This strategic meeting will bring together ministers responsible for Economy, Finance, Energy, Trade, and Industries.

Preceded by two days of expert deliberations on November 23rd and 24th, its aim is to create a synergy of action by accelerating the process of economic and financial integration within the Alliance.

Simultaneously, on November 30th, the Foreign Ministers of the three states will make crucial decisions regarding additional protocols, the establishment of bodies, as well as political measures and diplomatic coordination. These decisions will be guided by the recommendations of senior officials gathered on November 27th and 28th.

These ministerial consultations, preceding the subsequent meeting of Defense Ministers, aim to materialize the shared vision of the Heads of State of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. They aspire to assert their collective leadership by holistically addressing the deep aspirations of the Alliance’s populations, in the essential triad of «Defense, Diplomacy, and Development».

It is important to recall that Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger established the Alliance of the Sahel States to strengthen security in the region. This alliance, engaging signatory states in a mutual duty of assistance and relief in case of aggression against their sovereignty, is a response to the common threat of jihadist groups in the Sahel region.

The Liptako-Gourma region, bordering the three countries, has been significantly affected by jihadist activities in recent years, making this initiative crucial for regional peace and stability.

Sadia Nyaoré