Senegal: First formal negotiations between the ESA and ECOWAS in Dakar (decisions taken)

The member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger) and ECOWAS met in Dakar on Saturday, October 17, for formal negotiations aimed at laying the groundwork for future cooperation between the two entities. This important meeting was attended by ministerial delegations from both the Alliance of Sahel States and ECOWAS.

Also present were high-ranking officials such as the ECOWAS chief mediator to the ESA, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, the special representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Sahel and the African Union special envoy for Mali and the Sahel.

For "relations guided by the principles of good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty, dignity..."

The participants in these formal negotiations renewed their availability and support for this initiative of frank and fraternal dialogue, while calling for rigorous and open-minded work to achieve lasting solutions for the benefit of the people of the sub-region.

In a joint statement released on the evening of Saturday, October 17, the two organizations "welcomed the spirit of fraternity, mutual respect and open-mindedness that prevailed throughout their discussions. They recalled the deep historical, socio-cultural and economic ties that unite their peoples."

In light of these long-standing ties, they agreed that their "relations must be guided by the principles of good neighborliness, respect for sovereignty, dignity and the well-being of West African populations."

Both sides then affirmed their willingness to reach a "balanced, realistic framework for cooperation that preserves the interests of both their peoples".

Creation of joint thematic working groups for technical exchanges

They agreed to establish joint thematic working groups to conduct technical exchanges with the ultimate goal of concluding a framework cooperation agreement between ECOWAS and the AES Confederation.

The results of this work will be submitted to the ministers for their consideration before their next session. The date and location of the next session will be determined through diplomatic channels.

Note that the ECOWAS delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal Cheikh Niang and that of the AES by the Burkinabe Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Ministerial Steering Committee of the AES Confederation Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré.