Burkina Faso PM meets AES Youth Ministers to strengthen regional cooperation
Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla, received the Youth Ministers of Mali and Niger on Thursday as part of efforts to enhance cooperation within the Sahel States Alliance (AES). The meeting, held alongside a panel organized by the government-backed “Youth, Awake!” movement, focused on the role of young people in the ongoing progressive revolution across the region.
Joined by Burkina Faso’s Youth Minister, Roland Somda, Mali’s Abdoul Kassim Ibrahim Fomba and Niger’s Sidi Mohamed discussed shared challenges facing Sahelian youth with the Prime Minister.
Kyélem de Tambèla praised the initiative, stating, “Youth are the foundation of the future,” and urged coordinated action to make them “the driving force behind the liberation movement championed by AES leaders.”
“You oversee a strategic mission: shaping disciplined, patriotic youth aware of their role in nation-building,” he emphasized, calling for a break from externally imposed mental frameworks and the creation of a new African narrative.
Mali’s Youth Minister, Abdoul Kassim Fomba, echoed this vision: “We must return to our roots and craft our own story, free from inherited perceptions.”
Burkina Faso’s Roland Somda stressed that “this vast youth population should no longer be seen as a threat but as a catalyst for development,” advocating for education reforms to align training with the AES’s needs.
The visit underscores the three AES nations’ commitment to harmonizing youth policies and promoting sovereignty-centered, patriotic education. It also reflects the growing cohesion between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as they work toward a secure and prosperous regional bloc.
Cédric KABORE
