YAOUNDÉ — Burkina Faso highlighted the importance of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) during the 50th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), focusing on regional development and cooperation.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabe Abroad, Minister Jean Marie Karamoko Traoré emphasized the AES’s role in enhancing regional action and development amidst adversity. The session, which took place on August 29 and 30, 2024, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, centered on the theme “Development of intra-OIC transport and communication infrastructure: a major instrument in the fight against poverty and insecurity.”

Minister Traoré elaborated on the recent establishment of the Confederation of Sahel States, aimed at providing a unified response to the challenges faced by the populations within the AES. He also mentioned Burkina Faso’s efforts in signing multiple agreements that have notably improved transport and transit conditions with neighboring countries.

The OIC, an international organization founded in September 1969 in Rabat, Morocco, includes 57 member states and promotes cooperation across economic, social, cultural, and scientific sectors. The meeting discussed various topics, including connectivity and economic growth, essential for combating poverty in the region.