Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger – members of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) – are calling for stronger strategic engagement with China as they participate in a high-level Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) follow-up meeting underway in Changsha, China.
The ministerial gathering, which runs from June 10 to 12 and is chaired by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, serves as a key platform to evaluate ongoing China-Africa collaboration and to define concrete avenues for future development initiatives.
Mali, currently holding the rotating presidency of the AES, is represented by Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop. He is joined by Ambassador Fatou Binta Diop, a senior advisor to Mali’s transitional leadership. Burkina Faso and Niger are also participating, engaging both individually and as a confederation.
The ministers are focused on reviewing progress made under existing FOCAC commitments, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, industrial growth, and humanitarian cooperation.
The aim, according to officials, is to deepen South-South cooperation and ensure that Chinese investment directly improves livelihoods across the Sahel region.
The meeting coincides with the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, also being held in Changsha, which brings together key stakeholders to enhance trade, investment, and economic dialogue between China and African nations.
