Senegal-Burundi: Concerted diplomacy for stability in the Sahel takes center stage at TICAD

On the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), the President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye held a bilateral meeting in Yokohama focused on peace and security challenges in Africa, particularly in the Sahel. The encounter symbolizes the growing convergence of African diplomatic efforts to provide endogenous solutions to regional crises.

Since his election in March 2024, President Faye has made active mediation and good neighborliness central to his foreign policy. Amid tensions between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—which includes Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—he has positioned himself as a facilitator. His regional tour and unifying messages earned him the trust of ECOWAS, which mandated him in July 2024 to engage in dialogue with the AES.

This momentum is reinforced by President Ndayishimiye, appointed African Union Special Envoy for the Sahel. Under the framework of Angolan mediation, his mission is to promote dialogue with transitional authorities, civil society, and international partners in order to build consensus for lasting peace.

The Yokohama meeting allowed the two heads of state to discuss the complementarity of their respective roles and coordinate their approaches. With the AES confirming its definitive withdrawal from ECOWAS in January 2025, both blocs have expressed their willingness to maintain calm relations—an opening that Senegal and Burundi seek to use to prevent escalation and preserve security and economic cooperation.

This joint initiative reflects Africa’s determination to take control of its strategic future amid shifting international partnerships. It also highlights the crucial role countries like Senegal and Burundi intend to play in stabilizing a region plagued by insecurity and political challenges.

With the support of continental institutions and strengthened preventive diplomacy, these efforts aim to create the conditions for inclusive dialogue and sustainable stabilization of the Sahel, by and for Africans.