Mali and Burkina Faso leaders co-Preside second National Citizen Brigade Day
On August 20, 2025, Malian Prime Minister Major General Abdoulaye Maïga and his Burkinabe counterpart, Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, co-presided over the second edition of Mali’s National Citizen Brigade Day. Held under the theme “Two Years of Citizenship: Building a Stronger, Community-Oriented Citizen Brigade,” the event marked a significant milestone for the national initiative launched in August 2023.
Active across the 16 regions of Mali, Bamako, and the urban commune of Kati, the Citizen Brigade engages youth in ten key areas from health awareness and cultural preservation to education, environmental protection, peace promotion, and drug prevention.
Malian Youth Minister Abdoul Kassim Ibrahim Fomba praised the initiative, stating, “In two years, Malian youth have proven their ability to be both the future and the active present of our country.”
He emphasized the program’s alignment with the Transitional President’s vision of building a stronger Mali through its people.
General Maïga hailed the Brigade as a bold tool for mobilizing citizens around civic values, discipline, and solidarity.
He also welcomed the presence of the Burkinabe Prime Minister as a symbol of Sahelian unity.
Prime Minister Ouédraogo affirmed his belief in the Citizen Brigade as a sustainable vehicle for social transformation and reiterated the shared commitment of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to advance toward genuine sovereignty through the Sahel States Confederation.
Emile YEMPABE
