Niamey is currently hosting the inaugural session of the Parliament for the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), marking a significant milestone with the official installation of 45 confederal deputies representing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The formal proceedings unfolded at the Mahatma Gandhi Conference Center, presided over by Ousmane Bougouma, who serves as the President of the Legislative Assembly of the People of Burkina Faso and assumed the role of president for this foundational confederal parliamentary session.
During the event, Burkinabè President Ibrahim Traoré, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the Confederation of Sahel States, delivered a powerful address. He urged the assembled parliamentarians to prioritize the overarching collective interest of the Confederation above any individual partisan agendas or specific national concerns.
The confederal Parliament is composed of 45 deputies, with an equal representation of 15 members from each participating nation. The ceremony saw the attendance of prominent figures, including Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, who was present on behalf of the Nigerien President, alongside leaders from the parliamentary institutions of all three member states.
Distinguished guests from the Chadian and Togolese parliaments also graced the event. This inaugural session, scheduled from August 24 to 29 in Niamey, is strategically designed to establish a robust framework for enhanced parliamentary collaboration among the three AES member nations.
The Confederation of Sahel States was formally established in July 2024 by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. This formation followed their joint announcement in January of the same year regarding their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
A primary objective of the Confederation is to foster stronger cooperation among the three nations, particularly focusing on critical areas such as defense, security, and socio-economic development.
