The Burkina Faso government on Monday opened a high-level meeting in Ouagadougou focused on boosting trade and industrialisation within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo told ministers and economic stakeholders from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger that the confederation must move from commitments to concrete action.
Discussions followed expert-level meetings held on June 13 and 14 and focused on three key priorities: promoting local industrialisation through the processing of raw materials, facilitating trade among AES member states, and harmonising regulations to protect local industries and reduce market distortions.
The meeting also highlighted the economic potential of the three countries, which possess significant mineral and agricultural resources but remain heavily dependent on exports of unprocessed raw materials.
Officials stressed the need to strengthen regional value chains, develop infrastructure and expand industrial capacity to create jobs and increase local value addition.
Representatives from Mali and Niger reaffirmed their commitment to building a productive and integrated regional economy, while the Burkinabe prime minister underscored the importance of economic cooperation as a pillar of the AES development agenda.
