Strengthened cooperation to address shared security challenges

Mali and Burkina Faso are deepening their security collaboration as armed groups intensify their activities along their shared border and a fresh wave of Burkinabè refugees seeks shelter in Malian territory.

High-level discussions in Bamako to enhance joint efforts

Burkina Faso’s Minister of Security, Mahamadou Sana, arrived in Bamako on May 31 for a working visit aimed at reinforcing security coordination between the two nations. Welcomed by Mali’s Security Minister, General Daoud Aly Mohammedine, the talks focused on countering armed groups, securing border zones, and improving operational alignment within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which also includes Niger.

The meeting follows a recent alert from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regarding the influx of Burkinabè refugees into the Malian region of Bandiagara, particularly in Koro, a town near the border. These displaced individuals—mostly women, children, and elderly—have fled violence in several villages within the Sourou province, located in the Boucle du Mouhoun region.

Immediate humanitarian response underway

Malian authorities and humanitarian organizations are actively registering new arrivals and assessing their urgent needs. Priority assistance includes shelter, food, clean water, medical care, and psychological support.

Mali’s efforts to accommodate tens of thousands of refugees from Burkina Faso and Niger are straining its social infrastructure. In response, Bamako and Ouagadougou are working to balance security measures with humanitarian solutions to address the Sahel’s escalating crisis.