Ouagadougou: The senior officials responsible for the three pillars of the Confederation of Sahel States have convened in the Burkinabe capital to review and finalize the draft roadmap for Year II of the AES Confederation. This gathering, which began on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, brings together experts from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger for a two-day session aimed at consolidating achievements from Year I and advancing the confederal agenda.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the meeting serves as a preparatory session for an upcoming ministerial meeting that will thoroughly evaluate the actions outlined in the draft roadmap. The roadmap is designed to reflect the shared vision of the three Heads of State and prioritize actions necessary for building the confederal space. Mr. Bassolma BAZIE, President of the National Commission of the AES Confederation and head of the Burkinabe delegation, presided over the opening proceedings. He was joined by Mrs. Bayard Dariama GANATIE, head of the Nigerien delegation, and Ambassador Mahamane Hamadou MAIGA, head of the Malian delegation.
The meeting emphasizes the importance of reaching a consensus on priority actions to be undertaken. Mrs. GANATIE highlighted the need for the document to serve as a guiding compass towards a unified consensus for the Confederation's future. Ambassador MAIGA acknowledged the document's quality and urged participants to complete the task successfully. He emphasized that the roadmap and its implementation would sustain solidarity and address challenges such as peace, security, terrorism, free movement, and economic development.
Mr. BAZIE reiterated the need for sacrifice, unity, consultation, and solidarity in developing the roadmap to meet the expectations of the confederation's peoples. He stressed the importance of acting in unity and coherence, urging the three countries to determine their collective direction.
The outcome of the two-day session will be presented on February 26 in Ouagadougou, where ministers responsible for Defence-Security, Development, and Diplomacy will review the conclusions of the experts' work.