The inaugural session of the Parliament of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) commenced in Niamey on Monday. This significant event saw the formal installation of 45 confederal deputies representing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The solemn ceremony, held at the Mahatma Gandhi Conference Centre, was led by Ousmane Bougouma. He serves as the president of the Legislative Assembly of the People of Burkina Faso and also presided over this inaugural session of the confederal Parliament.
During the proceedings, Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré, who holds the rotating presidency of the Confederation of Sahel States, delivered a powerful message. He urged the newly installed deputies to prioritize the collective good of the Confederation above any partisan agendas or individual national concerns.
The confederal Parliament comprises a total of 45 deputies, with each member country contributing 15 representatives. The event witnessed the presence of Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, acting on behalf of the Nigerien president, alongside key officials from the parliamentary institutions of the three participating nations.
Delegations from the Chadian and Togolese parliaments also attended the gathering as invited guests. This foundational session, scheduled to run from August 24 to 29 in Niamey, aims to establish a robust framework for enhanced parliamentary cooperation among the three AES member states.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formally established the Confederation of Sahel States in July 2024. This followed their announcement in January of the same year regarding their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The primary objective of the Confederation is to foster stronger collaboration among the three nations, particularly across the critical sectors of defense, security, and economic development.
