The Confederation of Sahel States (AES) officially inaugurated its first parliamentary session on Monday in Niamey, marking a significant milestone. This pivotal event saw the formal installation of 45 confederal deputies, representing the member nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The Mahatma Gandhi Conference Centre served as the venue for this momentous ceremony. Presiding over the inaugural session of the confederal parliament was Ousmane Bougouma, who also serves as the President of the Legislative Assembly of the People of Burkina Faso.
President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, currently the acting president of the Confederation of Sahel States, addressed the newly installed deputies. He urged them to prioritize the overarching interests of the Confederation, transcending partisan agendas and individual national considerations for the collective good.
The confederal parliament is composed of 45 deputies, with each of the three member countries contributing 15 representatives. Dignitaries present at the ceremony included Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, who attended on behalf of the Nigerien President, alongside leading figures from the parliamentary institutions of all three member states.
Adding to the regional significance, representatives from the Chadian and Togolese parliaments were also present as invited guests. This initial session, scheduled to run from August 24 to 29 in Niamey, is designed to lay a robust foundation for enhanced parliamentary collaboration among the AES member nations.
The Confederation of Sahel States was established in July 2024 by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. This formation followed their joint announcement in January of the same year to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
A primary objective of the Confederation is to foster deeper cooperation among the three nations, particularly in critical areas such as defense, security, and sustainable development.