Prime Minister Sonko of Senegal Meets President Ibrahim Traoré in Burkina Faso
The Prime Minister of Senegalese, Ousmane Sonko payed a visit to the Burkina Faso, where Captain Ibrahim Traoré and the people of Burkina Faso warmly welcomed him into their country.
Prime Minister Sonko’s visit was about underscoring a growing effort to reinforce diplomatic and security cooperation between the two West African countries.
READ ALSO: Major Achievements of Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s Leadership in Burkina Faso
Sonko landed in Ouagadougou with senior officials, including the foreign and defence ministers of Senegal, according to the Senegalese Press Agency (APS).
Sonko spoke with President Ibrahim Traoré at the presidential palace after speaking with his Burkinabè colleague, Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo.
According to APS, the purpose of the trip is to give the junta government of Burkina Faso “political and moral support.” Since taking office in a military coup in 2022, President Traoré has been in charge of a transitional government.
His administration is still fighting increasing attacks by armed groups, such as those associated with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), a coalition with ties to Al-Qaeda that operates throughout the Sahel.
The meeting between the two leaders is also seen as a response to what the junta described as “attempts at external destabilisation,” particularly pointing fingers at neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. Given the shared challenges posed by jihadist insurgencies across the Sahel, both sides are expected to deepen their security collaboration.
This visit marks Prime Minister Sonko’s second diplomatic outreach to a member state of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), following his trip to Mali in August 2024. The AES bloc—which includes Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—was established as a strategic alliance in response to mounting tensions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of which Senegal remains a member.
Sonko’s visit signals Dakar’s nuanced approach to diplomacy in the region, maintaining open dialogue with AES states despite differing stances within regional blocs.
