AES Confederation: First Confederal Session of the Council of Ministers Opens in Bamako

Bamako, December 20, 2025 - The Koulouba Palace hosted the opening of the inaugural confederal session of the Council of Ministers of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) on Saturday, December 20, 2025. The session was chaired by General Assimi Goïta, Head of State of Mali and President of the AES Confederation, and brought together ministers from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

In his opening remarks, President Goïta described the session as a preparatory step for the second meeting of the College of Heads of State, scheduled for December 22-23 in Bamako. He recalled that the Council of Ministers, as outlined in Article 12 of the Constitutive Treaty signed in Niamey on July 6, 2024, forms one of the three pillars of AES governance, alongside the College of Heads of State and the future Confederal Parliament.

The session will focus on key issues, including the progress report on the first-year roadmap, additional protocols on defense, diplomacy, and development, and provisions governing confederal parliamentary sessions. Adoption of these documents will complete the institutional framework of the Confederation.

President Goïta emphasized that the AES mission is to become a platform for “emancipation, freedom, and true independence”, driven by the resources and ingenuity of the Sahelian peoples. “Our three states have made the sovereign choice to join forces to build a stable and peaceful space, conducive to the development and full flourishing of our people,” he declared.

He also condemned the “economic and media terrorism” directed at AES countries by certain international actors, stating that such pressures only strengthen the Confederation’s resolve to pursue its sovereign path on the African and international stage.

The Head of State paid tribute to the defense and security forces of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger for their commitment “at the risk of their lives,” and commended the courageous peoples of the AES, recognizing them as the true source of the Confederation’s legitimacy.

Looking beyond the Sahel, President Goïta highlighted regional unity: “West Africa is united by a centuries-old history, shared culture, and common geography. Our peoples are naturally called upon to live together, in mutual respect, solidarity, and fraternity.”

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