Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger intend to present a united front at the UN and champion the vision of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) as the general debate of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly opens on Tuesday.
The foreign ministers of the three AES nations – along with heads of their diplomatic missions in
Washington and New York, met on Sunday evening to coordinate their participation in this major diplomatic gathering.
The meeting focused on the week’s agenda and the key messages that will guide the statements made by the Burkinabe, Malian, and Nigerien delegations.
The three countries are also scheduled to participate in a side event dedicated to the Confederation of Sahel States, led by their respective foreign ministers.
“The guiding principle is to act in a way that strengthens the AES Confederation,” stated Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traore.
The Burkinabe foreign minister also called for “correcting the narratives” surrounding the confederation, arguing that member states must convey their message to the international community themselves.
“We are here to make the voice of the AES heard ourselves, rather than letting other actors speak on our behalf,” he added.
Prior to the trilateral meeting, Mr. Traore met with the Burkinabe delegation at Burkina Faso’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York.
He urged the team members to work with a “spirit of teamwork and commitment,” in line with the directives of the Burkinabe authorities.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly officially began on September 8. The general debate is taking place from September 22 to 26, and again on September 28, under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformations: a UN that acts for all.”
HO/te/Sf/fss/as/APA