Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, convened a meeting on Thursday with the Chargé d’Affaires of the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou. This diplomatic engagement followed recent pronouncements by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu concerning the security landscape within the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) nations.
The gathering underscored a unified stance among the three AES member states, as Chargés d’Affaires from the Embassies of Mali and Niger were also present, demonstrating concerted solidarity.
On July 30, during a discussion with Nigerian traditional leaders, President Tinubu attributed the rise in kidnappings and terrorist attacks in Nigeria to what he described as a “collapse” of security across neighboring Sahelian countries. This perspective was highlighted in a statement from Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Addressing the traditional leaders, President Tinubu asserted, “Some of them (the terrorists) are not Nigerians. You see, the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger only exacerbates our difficulties.”
Burkina Faso’s top diplomat, Traoré, characterized this interpretation of the security situation as “hasty, overly simplistic, and surprising,” suggesting a concerning bias from Nigeria’s highest authority. He emphasized that this viewpoint “overshadows the significant sacrifices made daily by the defense and security forces, as well as the populations, of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in their relentless fight against terrorism.”
Traoré further contended that President Tinubu’s remarks demonstrated a disregard for the long-standing sacrifices of the Nigerian army in combating Boko Haram, particularly given that the terrorism phenomenon had not yet reached the AES member states when Nigeria was already grappling with it.
The Burkinabè foreign minister also noted that despite documented links between Boko Haram and certain terrorist groups active in the Sahel, the AES countries have consistently refrained from making public accusations against Nigeria. Instead, they have favored an approach rooted in cooperation and shared 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 nations contribute to the overall security of the entire sub-region, including Nigeria, by limiting the destructive capabilities and mobility of terrorist groups,” Traoré affirmed.
Traoré concluded by urging Nigerian authorities to prioritize unifying messages that foster solidarity, rather than statements that could fuel divisions or misunderstandings among neighboring peoples.
In response, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires confirmed receipt of the message and committed to faithfully relaying its contents to authorities in Abuja, as detailed in the communiqué from Burkina Faso’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.