Media | Confederation of Sahel States Launches AES Television in Bamako

Bamako, December 23, 2025 The Heads of State of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) officially inaugurated AES Television on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in Bamako, marking a major step in the development of a sovereign confederal media platform serving the Sahel region. The ceremony was led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso; General Assimi Goïta, President of the Transition of Mali and President of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES); and General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of the Republic of Niger. It was attended by the Prime Minister of Mali, the President of the National Transitional Council, members of the government, and administrative and municipal authorities of the Bamako District. During the event, the Heads of State cut the ribbon, officially launching the pilot phase of AES Television, followed by a guided tour of the channel’s technical and administrative facilities. The Minister of Communication, Digital Economy, and Administrative Modernization of Mali, Alhamdou Ag Ilyène, took part in the ceremony alongside his counterparts from Burkina Faso and Niger, reflecting the joint nature of the project. The creation of AES Television, initiated by the Ministry of Communication, Digital Economy, and Administrative Modernization of Mali in close coordination with the communication ministries of Burkina Faso and Niger, underscores the collective commitment of the three member states. The project benefited from high-level political support from the President of the Confederation, General Assimi Goïta, whose leadership helped bring this strategic initiative to fruition. Positioned as a key instrument for institutional communication and regional integration, AES Television aims to serve the peoples of the Sahel and Africa, as well as broader audiences committed to freedom, equality, and progress. The channel seeks to promote the values of solidarity, sovereignty, and resilience, provide reliable and balanced information, support confederal public policies, and strengthen cohesion among the peoples of the Sahel and Southern Africa. The inauguration, held on the sidelines of the 2nd College of Heads of State of the Confederation of Sahel States, illustrates the determination of AES leaders to advance political, economic, and security integration through the establishment of sovereign media serving the interests and aspirations of the region’s populations.