AES condemns Nigerian president’s remarks on Sahel insecurity

The Burkinabè Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean Marie Traoré, summoned the Nigerian chargé d’affaires in Ouagadougou in response to remarks made by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu about the alleged security situation in the three countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The meeting included the chargés d’affaires from the embassies of Mali and Niger, both AES member states, to underscore a “united and supportive stance” within the confederation.

The controversy began on July 30, when Tinubu reportedly told Nigerian traditional leaders that instability in the AES region was worsening Nigeria’s security situation, attributing it to a rise in terrorist attacks and kidnappings within his country.

Speaking on behalf of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, Minister Traoré expressed the confederation’s “deep regret” over what he called an inaccurate and ill-suited assessment that contradicted the spirit of solidarity among neighboring nations facing a shared threat. He described Tinubu’s remarks as “a hasty, overly simplistic, and surprising analysis.”

“We hoped for a more accurate portrayal of the security context,” he stated, “rather than blaming neighboring countries for a complex situation, which risks fueling misunderstandings and frustrations among peoples bound by history, geography, and brotherhood.”

“We are not responsible for our challenges,” Traoré continued. “We bear the consequences, but the real enemies lie elsewhere. This is why we must act as brother nations… facing the same threat.”

He clarified that the AES countries’ démarche was “not an act of controversy or diplomatic confrontation,” but rather a commitment to open dialogue, believing that “only sincere cooperation can sustainably address the region’s security challenges.”

The Nigerian chargé d’affaires, after receiving the AES ministers’ message to transmit to Abuja, acknowledged their emphasis on dialogue and solidarity against terrorism while recognizing the alliance’s efforts in combating this scourge.