Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Jean Marie Traoré, summoned Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires in Ouagadougou following remarks by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu regarding alleged insecurity in the three member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The meeting, held on August 7, included representatives from Mali and Niger, both AES members, to underscore a unified stance.
The incident traces back to July 30, when Tinubu reportedly told Nigerian traditional leaders that insecurity in the AES region was worsening Nigeria’s security landscape, attributing it to a surge in terrorist attacks and kidnappings within his country.
Speaking on behalf of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, Traoré conveyed the confederation’s “deep regret” over Tinubu’s remarks, calling them “inaccurate and inconsistent with the spirit of solidarity” expected among neighboring states facing a shared threat. He dismissed the comments as “hasty, oversimplified, and surprising,” emphasizing the need for a more nuanced understanding of the security dynamics.
“We would have preferred a more accurate portrayal of the security context,” Traoré stated, “rather than attributing responsibility to neighboring countries for a complex situation—risking resentment among historically and geographically connected peoples.”
He added, “We are not responsible for our challenges; we bear the consequences, but the true adversaries lie elsewhere. Our approach must reflect brotherhood amid a shared threat.”
Traoré clarified that the AES’s response was not an act of confrontation but a commitment to open dialogue, asserting that only genuine cooperation could effectively address the region’s security challenges.
Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires acknowledged the AES ministers’ message, pledging to relay it to Abuja. He praised their emphasis on dialogue and solidarity in combating terrorism while acknowledging the coalition’s efforts against this scourge.
