AES rejects Nigerian president’s comments on Sahel security
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Jean Marie Traoré, summoned Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Ouagadougou following Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s remarks alleging worsening insecurity in the three Alliance of Sahel States (AES) nations. The meeting, held on August 7 in the presence of Mali and Niger’s representatives, underscored the AES’s unified stance against external criticism.
The controversy stems from Tinubu’s July 30 statements to Nigerian traditional leaders, where he claimed that escalating terrorism and kidnappings in Nigeria were directly linked to instability in AES countries. Traoré, speaking on behalf of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, rejected these assertions as misleading and devoid of the solidarity expected among neighboring nations facing shared threats.
« The Nigerian president’s analysis oversimplifies a complex regional crisis, » Traoré stated. « We deeply regret such an inaccurate portrayal, which risks deepening misunderstandings rather than fostering cooperation between our peoples, bound by history and geography. »
He emphasized that AES nations bear the consequences of insecurity but are not responsible for its origins. « Our struggles are interconnected. The true adversaries lie elsewhere, and our response must reflect our fraternal commitment to combating this common menace, » he asserted.
While clarifying that the AES’s démarche was not a confrontation but a call for dialogue, Traoré stressed that genuine cooperation—not blame—is the key to sustainable security solutions in West Africa.
Nigeria’s representative acknowledged the AES ministers’ message, pledging to relay it to Abuja. He commended the alliance’s anti-terrorism efforts while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional solidarity.
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