Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye arrived in Bamako on Tuesday for a friendship and working visit at the invitation of Mali’s Transitional President, General Assimi Goïta, just days after assuming the rotating chairmanship of ECOWAS. The visit is aimed at strengthening the long-standing ties between Senegal and Mali while providing an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss bilateral cooperation and key regional issues, including peace, security, and West African integration. It is President Faye’s second visit to Mali since taking office, following his first trip to Bamako in May 2024.
The visit comes at a critical time as ECOWAS seeks to redefine its relationship with the Confederation of Sahel States (AES), comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. During the recent ECOWAS summit in Freetown, President Faye called for greater financial autonomy for the regional bloc, stronger security cooperation, and the operationalization of the regional counter-terrorism force. With Senegal also assuming a leading role in the ECOWAS Commission, Dakar is positioning itself to play a key role in reviving regional dialogue and shaping future relations between ECOWAS and the AES countries.
