The inaugural session of the Sahel States Confederation (AES) Parliament officially commenced on Monday in Niamey, Niger, marking a significant step with the installation of 45 confederal deputies representing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.
The prestigious event unfolded at the Mahatma Gandhi Conference Center. Presiding over the ceremony was Ousmane Bougouma, who serves as the President of the Legislative Assembly of the People of Burkina Faso and also chaired this inaugural parliamentary gathering.
During the opening, President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the Sahel States Confederation, delivered a crucial address. He urged the newly installed parliamentarians to prioritize the collective well-being of the Confederation above any partisan interests or individual national considerations, emphasizing unity for the region’s future.
The confederal parliament is composed of 45 deputies, with each of the three member nations contributing 15 representatives. Dignitaries present included Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, who attended on behalf of the Nigerien president, alongside various heads of parliamentary institutions from the three member states.
Further underscoring regional solidarity, representatives from the Chadian and Togolese parliaments were also present as invited guests. This foundational session, scheduled to run from August 24 to 29 in Niamey, is designed to establish a robust framework for enhanced parliamentary collaboration among the AES member countries.
The Sahel States Confederation was established in July 2024 by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, following their announcement in January of the same year to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The primary objectives of this Confederation include strengthening cooperation across critical sectors such as defense, security, and overall regional development.