ECOWAS Chair and Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio has begun a two-day official visit to Burkina Faso as part of efforts to rebuild dialogue between ECOWAS and the Confederation of Sahel States (ESA).
His visit, which includes bilateral talks with Captain Ibrahim Traoré and expanded working sessions between the two delegations, will focus on strengthening Sierra Leone–Burkina Faso cooperation and exploring strategic responses to regional and international challenges.
This marks Bio’s second mission to Ouagadougou in just over a year, underscoring ECOWAS’s commitment to maintaining ties with Sahelian states despite their withdrawal from the bloc.
The trip comes against the backdrop of shifting regional dynamics, with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger formally exiting ECOWAS in January 2025 after establishing the Confederation of Sahel States the previous year.
By pursuing direct engagement, Bio aims to preserve historical links while shaping new frameworks of cooperation better suited to the region’s current geopolitical realities.
