Burkina Faso: Marshal Deby Itno at FESPACO 2025, a rapprochement that paves the way for the AES?

Field Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno set foot on Burkina Faso soil on 21 February 2025 to attend the opening ceremony of the 29th edition of the Ouagadougou Pan-African Film and Television Festival (FESPACO), scheduled for 22 February. This year, the Republic of Chad is in the limelight as guest country.

Welcomed with honours by the charismatic President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, this visit goes beyond the purely cultural framework of FESPACO.

 It is part of a wider drive to strengthen bilateral relations between N’Djamena and Ouagadougou, while consolidating ties within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

At a time when security and geopolitical challenges require greater solidarity between Sahelian nations, this meeting symbolises a convergence of interests between the two countries.

 Burkina Faso and Chad, committed to defending their sovereignty and regional stability, could lay the foundations for even closer cooperation at the end of this strategic visit.

In addition, this visit by Field Marshal Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno could pave the way for more in-depth consideration of the possibility of Chad joining the Alliance of Sahel States.

Such a decision would mark a decisive step towards greater pooling of defence, development and cooperation efforts between countries in the region.

The rapprochement between Chad and the AES member states bears witness to a shared desire to build a Sahelian space that is sovereign, united and resilient in the face of contemporary challenges.