Senegal’s PM Ousmane Sonko visits Burkina Faso, meeting with President Traoré to discuss cooperation on security and support for the junta government amidst challenges with armed groups. This is Sonko’s second diplomatic visit to the Alliance of Sahel States since his trip to Mali in August 2024, indicating Senegal’s approach to maintain relations with AES nations despite differing perspectives within regional organizations.
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has kicked off an official trip to Burkina Faso, where he received a warm welcome from the transitional President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. This visit points to a growing commitment to strengthen diplomatic and security ties between Senegal and Burkina Faso, particularly amid the region’s ongoing security challenges.
Report from the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) indicates Sonko arrived in Ouagadougou with several high-ranking officials, including the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense. He first met with his Burkinabè counterpart, Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo, before proceeding to a meeting with President Traoré at the presidential palace, highlighting the importance of this diplomatic mission.
The trip has been framed as offering “political and moral support” to the government of Burkina Faso’s junta, which has been in power since a military coup in 2022. Currently, President Traoré’s administration is grappling with increasing violence from armed groups, notably those connected to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition affiliated with Al-Qaeda operating in the Sahel region.
In addition to fostering diplomatic relations, the discussions also addressed concerns about “external destabilisation,” particularly naming neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire as a potential source of instability. As both countries face the mounting threat posed by jihadist activities in the Sahel, enhancing security collaboration was a key topic of the meeting between Sonko and Traoré.
This marks Prime Minister Sonko’s second outreach to a member of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), following his August visit to Mali. The AES, which consists of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, was formed as a strategic response to rising tensions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organization of which Senegal is still a part.
Sonko’s visit is a display of Senegal’s complex diplomatic approach, reflecting a willingness to engage with AES members even amid contrasting views within various regional alliances. This strategy may prove essential as the situation in the Sahel continues to evolve, with security at the forefront of these international relations.
Ousmane Sonko’s visit to Burkina Faso highlights a crucial step in strengthening ties between Senegal and Burkina Faso while addressing regional security issues. With Burkina Faso’s ongoing struggle against rising violence from armed groups, the talks signal Senegal’s support for the transitional government. As both nations seek to collaborate against shared challenges, Sonko’s outreach underscores a nuanced diplomatic strategy within a complex regional landscape.
Original Source: newscentral.africa
