The Council of Ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), meeting in Bamako on January 22, 2025, ratified a series of ambitious initiatives aimed at fostering regional integration and development.
The meeting, which followed expert-level discussions on January 14-15, brought together ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, among others.
To finance regional development projects, the Council approved the establishment of a dedicated investment bank. A levy on imports outside the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) will be implemented to generate revenue for regional development projects. The Council validated an ambitious infrastructure program, including the construction of a 1,446 km highway connecting Niamey and Bamako, and the development of a comprehensive railway network.
A plan to develop two million hectares of land for plant and animal production was approved to enhance regional food security. The Council discussed the creation of a confederal airline and the establishment of a purchasing center for basic necessities to improve regional connectivity and access to essential goods.
These ambitious projects demonstrate the AES’s commitment to fostering regional integration and addressing the shared challenges faced by member states.
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