Senegal-Mali: first regional mission for Bassirou Diomaye Faye as ECOWAS president
The Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is expected this Tuesday in Bamako. This is his first diplomatic visit in two capacities: as the head of state of Senegal and as the current president of ECOWAS, a responsibility assigned to him by his peers during the summit in Freetown on July 19th.
SUMMARY
This meeting with the Malian transition leader, Colonel Assimi Goïta, takes place in a delicate regional context. The discussions will mainly focus on the complex relationships between the sub-regional organization and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES).
Despite efforts initiated since March by negotiator Lansana Kouyaté, no definitive agreement has yet been reached with Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso following their announcement to withdraw from ECOWAS. This strategic issue remains a major challenge to preserve the cohesion of the West African space.
A second strategic visit to Bamako
This trip marks the second official visit of Bassirou Diomaye Faye to Mali since his election, following an initial contact made on May 30, 2024, where he advocated for the retention of Sahel countries within the regional framework. This time he is visiting in his individual capacity, shortly after the official announcement of his own political movement, “Kiiraay,” recently launched in Dakar.
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