Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, hosted the Chargé d’Affaires of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Embassy in Ouagadougou on Thursday. This diplomatic encounter followed recent remarks by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu concerning the security landscape within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) countries, as confirmed by diplomatic sources on Friday.
Significantly, this meeting saw the presence of Chargés d’Affaires from the Embassies of Mali and Niger, underscoring the unified and collaborative stance of the three member states of the Confederation.
During a July 30 gathering with Nigerian traditional leaders, President Tinubu linked the surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks in Nigeria to what he described as a “collapse” of security in neighboring Sahel nations. This assertion was reiterated in a statement from Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerians. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties,” President Tinubu had declared to the Nigerian traditional leaders.
For the Burkinabè foreign policy chief, this interpretation of the regional security situation “obscures the immense sacrifices made daily by the Defense and Security Forces, as well as the populations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in their relentless fight against terrorism.”
Traoré further argued that President Tinubu’s statements disregard the long-standing commitment and sacrifices made by the Nigerian army against Boko Haram for years, even before terrorism became a widespread issue in the AES member countries.
The head of Burkina Faso’s diplomacy also highlighted that despite the established connections between Boko Haram and certain active terrorist groups across the Sahel, the AES states have consistently refrained from publicly accusing Nigeria. Instead, they have prioritized an approach rooted in cooperation and shared responsibility.
“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria confront the same adversary. As such, the successes achieved by the Defense and Security Forces of the AES countries contribute to the security of the entire West Africa Sahel sub-region, including Nigeria, by curtailing the destructive capabilities and mobility of terrorist groups,” he affirmed.
Traoré therefore urged Nigerian authorities to champion unifying messages that foster solidarity, rather than issuing declarations that could sow division or misunderstanding among historically, geographically, and fraternally linked peoples.
In response, the Nigerian Chargé d’Affaires acknowledged receipt of the message and pledged to faithfully convey its contents to his superiors in Abuja, as confirmed by the Burkinabè Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
