Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, hosted the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Ouagadougou on Thursday. This diplomatic engagement followed recent remarks made by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu concerning the security landscape within the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) nations.
The meeting, which took place in the presence of the Chargés d’Affaires from the Embassies of Mali and Niger, underscored the unified and concerted stance of the three member states of the Confederation.
President Tinubu, during a July 30 gathering with traditional Nigerian chiefs, attributed the surge in kidnappings and terrorist attacks across Nigeria to what he described as a “collapse” of security in neighboring Sahel countries. This perspective was highlighted in a communiqué from Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerians. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties,” President Tinubu had asserted to the Nigerian traditional leaders.
For Burkina Faso’s top diplomat, this interpretation of the regional security situation “overlooks the substantial daily sacrifices made by the Defense and Security Forces, as well as the populations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in their relentless fight against terrorism.” This statement reflects the ongoing challenges reported in Sahel current affairs and the ground realities of Mali Niger Burkina reporting.
“This is a swift, overly simplistic, and surprising analysis, which reveals a concerning bias from Nigeria’s highest authority. We would have preferred a more accurate portrayal of the security context, rather than assigning responsibility for a complex situation to neighboring countries. Such statements risk fueling misunderstandings and frustrations among peoples bound by shared history, geography, and fraternity,” Traoré articulated.
He argued that President Tinubu’s comments disregard the significant sacrifices made by the Nigerian army against Boko Haram over many years, even before the scourge of terrorism had fully gripped the AES nations.
The Burkinabè foreign minister further underscored that despite established connections between Boko Haram and various terrorist factions active across the Sahel, the AES member states have consistently refrained from publicly accusing Nigeria. Instead, they have opted for an approach rooted in cooperation and collective responsibility.
“Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria confront the same adversary. As such, the successes achieved by the Defense and Security Forces of the AES countries contribute positively to the security of the entire sub-region, including Nigeria, by curtailing the destructive capabilities and mobility of terrorist groups,” he affirmed, emphasizing the interconnectedness of Sahel security.
Traoré consequently urged Nigerian authorities to prioritize unifying messages that foster solidarity, rather than declarations that could incite division or discord among neighboring populations.
In response, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires confirmed receipt of the communicated message and pledged to accurately convey its content to his superiors in Abuja, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso.