Assimi Goïta Receives Ministerial Delegation of the Sahel States Confederation

The transitional President of Mali and current President of the Sahel States Confederation (Alliance des États du Sahel, AES), General Assimi Goïta, on Thursday, 20 November 2025, granted an important audience to a ministerial delegation from the regional bloc. The meeting took place in Bamako and forms part of the Confederation’s ongoing push to deepen political and strategic coordination among its member states.

According to officials, the discussions focused on accelerating the integration agenda adopted by the AES leadership earlier this year. Central to this agenda is the strengthening of political cooperation, the consolidation of joint security efforts, and the expansion of shared economic and infrastructure projects across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The delegation and the Malian presidency reviewed progress on several priority programmes, including cross-border security initiatives, energy and transport infrastructure, and the alignment of national policies with decisions taken at recent summits. The talks also addressed the need for more efficient implementation mechanisms to ensure that resolutions agreed upon by the Heads of State translate into concrete actions on the ground.

For the AES, the visit represents a significant step in its ambition to redefine regional governance in the Sahel. Since its creation, the bloc has positioned itself as a framework for deeper sovereignty, strategic autonomy and coordinated development among its members. Thursday’s meeting further reinforced this direction, highlighting the Sahelian authorities’ determination to build a coherent, self-reliant, and action-oriented regional union.

Officials described the audience as “constructive” and “forward-looking,” underscoring a shared vision to strengthen the AES as a rising regional power and a unified voice for the Sahel.

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