Air Chiefs of Sahel Confederation Hold First Strategic Meeting in Mali, Plan for Unified Regional Air Defence

The Chiefs of Staff of the Air Forces of the Confederation of Sahel States (CSS), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, convened their first official meeting within the week to advance regional air defence cooperation.

Held across multiple locations in Mali, the meeting aimed to strengthen coordination and lay the groundwork for a shared air defence strategy. The agenda included reviewing existing cooperation, sharing operational experiences, identifying mutual challenges, and exploring opportunities for resource pooling.

Themed “Air Cooperation within the AES: Towards Integrated Defense and Strengthened Sovereignty,” the event highlighted the member states’ collective goal of building a unified, action-oriented air defence system across the Sahel.

Deliberations began at Mali’s Air Force headquarters in Bamako and continued with operational site visits, including a tour of Air Base 200 in Sévaré. According to reports, the visits enabled technical exchanges and discussions on tactical cooperation. Delegations also visited the Mali War College, recognising its role in training military leadership aligned with the CSS’s strategic vision.

A cultural visit to Siby marked Mali’s 2025 Year of Culture and underscored the shared heritage and values among the member states.

The meeting concluded at Sénou Air Base 101 in Bamako, where participants agreed on several key initiatives, including creating regional maintenance hubs, enhanced coordination with partners, and improved mechanisms for information sharing and interoperability.

While the AES was formed in 2023 as a political and security alliance following the military-led governments’ withdrawal from ECOWAS, this air forces meeting represents one of its most concrete steps toward building joint military capabilities. The alliance is a sovereign alternative to Western-backed security frameworks in West Africa, seeking more autonomy over defence policies.

Officials described the gathering as a significant step toward building a sovereign and unified air defence architecture within the CSS, with leaders reaffirming their commitment to regional security and collective stability.

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