Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have taken a new step in strengthening cooperation within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by approving a treaty dedicated to cross-border cooperation.
Meeting in Ouagadougou on Wednesday evening, representatives of the three countries endorsed the agreement, according to Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Territorial Administration and Mobility.
The treaty aims to improve coordination across shared border areas and strengthen cooperation mechanisms for communities living along the three countries’ frontiers.
Burkina Faso’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Mobility, Émile Zerbo, said the agreement reflects the three countries’ shared ambition to transform border areas into zones of security, development and prosperity rather than areas exposed to vulnerability.
The treaty provides a legal framework for the coordinated management of border areas. It also establishes regular dialogue between regional authorities to promote joint responses to security, humanitarian and development challenges.
Through the agreement, AES member states aim to institutionalize cross-border cooperation and strengthen coordination between authorities in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in addressing the challenges facing border communities.