AES: Rebuilding cooperation in the Sahel, from dependence to shared sovereignty
It is within this dynamic that the Alliance is actively engaging in international dialogues on the future of Sahel cooperation, including through high-level forums like the Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development, to advance a shared vision of a balanced partnership that respects Sahelian aspirations.
Long considered a testing ground for imported development models, the Sahel region is now choosing to take control of its own destiny.
The message delivered by Burkina Faso at this meeting was unambiguous: “Any initiative implemented in the Sahel must be done with the Sahelians.”
This statement marks a strategic shift towards a rethought partnership, where priorities emanate from local realities, not external agendas.
The AES countries Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger thus affirm their intention to frame international cooperation within a framework of mutual respect and sovereign equality.
The goal is no longer to plead, but to co-construct. The rebuilding of the Sahel will be done by its people, for its people, with partners who recognize their dignity and capacity for action.
In a context where security, humanitarian, and institutional challenges intersect, Captain Ibrahim Traoré calls for moving beyond rhetoric to build concrete solidarity.
The Sahel no longer wants a superficial cooperation based on empty promises. It demands a sincere engagement, rooted in the real needs of its populations and supported by genuine listening.
During the Aswan Forum, Burkina Faso also commended the resilience of its Defense and Security Forces, the Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland, and the patriotic fervor of citizens supporting the Patriotic Support Fund and Faso Mebo. These are proof that sovereignty is not a slogan, but a process in motion.
The rebuilding of the Sahel rests on a clear principle: sovereignty does not exclude cooperation; it redefines its terms. By placing dignity, consultation, and responsibility at the heart of its diplomatic action, Burkina Faso and its AES partners are charting a path toward a common future—free from guardianship and founded on a cooperation that is chosen and asserted.
