Burkina Faso President, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has issued a strong warning against what he described as persistent efforts by foreign powers to create division within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which brings together Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
He made the remarks on Monday during the inaugural performance of the AES anthem “Sahel Benkan” in Ouagadougou. According to the Burkinabe transitional leader, powerful outside forces are continuously attempting to persuade one of the three member countries to abandon the alliance for their own interests.
“These imperialists approach us daily, trying to convince one of us to betray the others,” he stated, condemning these efforts as calculated strategies to weaken the unity of the Sahel region.
Captain Traoré stressed that although achieving African unity is not easy, it remains the only viable solution for the continent’s strength and independence. He emphasized the need for vigilance, unity, and resilience to withstand external pressures, asserting that the goal of these foreign actors is to safeguard their own dominance at the expense of African progress.
“They will fight us, they will keep fighting us, but we will come out stronger,” he declared, urging Sahelian citizens to resist neo-colonial influence and take control of their future.
Highlighting the region’s vast potential, Traoré encouraged greater collaboration among Sahel countries to harness their natural wealth. “The Sahel is rich – immensely rich. It will not remain poor. We will continue to build a secure, resilient, and prosperous Sahel.”
Since the formation of the AES, the transitional governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have repeatedly accused Western powers, particularly former colonial ruler France, of attempting to destabilize their alliance.
