Foreign ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) met with African Union Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf on September 22 in New York, in a step toward restoring dialogue after months of strained relations.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, follows the July appointment of Burundian president Évariste Ndayishimiye as AU Special Envoy for the Sahel under an Angolan-led mediation effort. Ministers Abdoulaye Diop of Mali, Bakary Yaou Sangaré of Niger, and Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré of Burkina Faso outlined their expectations on security and governance, stressing the need for AU decisions to reflect the realities of the region.
Youssouf acknowledged their concerns, pledging to avoid any further isolation of AES members, which were suspended after recent coups but continue to face acute security threats.
The Angolan mediation, spearheaded by AU President João Lourenço, has aimed to reconnect the AU with the Sahelian bloc through dialogue and inclusive strategies.
Ndayishimiye’s mandate includes building consensus with transitional governments, civil society, and international partners, complementing the role of Mamadou Tangara, the AU’s special representative in Bamako.
The resumption of cooperation between AES and ECOWAS was welcomed as a step toward broader reconciliation. Analysts view this diplomatic push as part of Angola’s growing role as a continental mediator, building on its recent involvement in the Rwanda-DRC peace process, and as a response to mounting security emergencies across the Sahel.
