On Thursday, Burkinabe Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré met with the Nigerian chargé d’affaires in Burkina Faso. The meeting, also attended by counterparts from Mali and Niger, followed Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s statements about worsening security in Sahel nations. The three AES members presented a united front in their response to Tinubu’s remarks.

Tinubu’s statements spark regional debate

During a July 30 gathering with Nigerian traditional leaders, President Tinubu suggested that Nigeria’s security woes were exacerbated by instability in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. He claimed that some armed groups operating in Nigeria originate from neighboring countries. This assertion prompted Ouagadougou to formally clarify its stance to Abuja through diplomatic channels.

Minister Traoré countered that Tinubu’s remarks failed to acknowledge the relentless efforts of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s defense forces and civilian populations in combating armed factions. He highlighted Nigeria’s long-standing battle against Boko Haram and noted that AES states have never publicly implicated Nigeria in the Sahel’s terrorism surge, despite documented ties between certain regional militant groups. Traoré emphasized that the three countries’ military operations have significantly weakened jihadist networks, thereby enhancing regional security.

Ouagadougou urged Nigerian officials to adopt rhetoric that fosters solidarity among West African nations facing shared security threats. Burkina Faso reiterated that cooperation remains vital in the fight against West African terrorist organizations. Following the meeting, the Nigerian chargé d’affaires acknowledged the Burkinabe message and pledged to relay it to Abuja, according to Burkina Faso’s Foreign Ministry.