AES Confederation: A strategic agricultural forum in Bamako to build regional food sovereignty
In September, Bamako is hosting a major forum dedicated to agricultural development within the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), bringing together Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In a context of political and economic refoundation, this strategic meeting aims to lay the groundwork for strengthened regional agropastoral cooperation in response to structural challenges such as food security, climate change, and external dependency.
The stakes are high for these countries, where agriculture remains a cornerstone of the economy—accounting for 33.45% of GDP in Mali, 18.59% in Burkina Faso, and nearly 40% in Niger in 2024—with the majority of the rural population engaged in the sector. The growth of these states reflects an economic dynamism that the forum seeks to channel toward a structural transformation of agricultural systems.
This forum is fully aligned with the reconstruction dynamic initiated by the creation of the AES in July 2024, which embodies a collective will for emancipation. The launch of the Alliance of Agricultural Seed Producers of the Sahel (APSA-Sahel) and the establishment of a regional investment bank illustrate the determination to build productive sovereignty, particularly in seeds and inputs.
By leveraging the complementarity of value chains (livestock, cereals, cotton) and harmonizing agricultural policies, the Bamako forum could lay the foundations for genuine regional food self-sufficiency. The integration of common priorities, backed by a shared vision, represents a historic opportunity for the Sahelian agropastoral sector.
