President Mahama begins visit to Alliance of Sahel States - Makes first stop in Mali

President John Dramani Mahama has started a three-day working visit to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) with the first stop in the Malian capital, Bamako. 

Last Saturday’s visit centred on discussions related to strengthening bilateral relations, addressing regional security concerns, and fostering mutual economic growth for the West African states.

Discussions also focused on reviving the stalled Technical Joint Cooperation Framework initiated in 2011 to address existing trade and diplomatic bottlenecks.

President Mahama and his delegation were warmly received at the airport by Mali’s Transition President, General Assimi Goita, and some state officials, and the Ghanaian community in Mali, before their meetings in the Presidential Palace.

The President, as part of his tour, also exchanged pleasantries with the Ghanaian community in Bamako, and visited the historic statue of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, located in the heart of Bamako, marking a powerful symbol of the shared history and Pan-African aspirations of the two countries.

A communique from his office said the visit to Mali would be followed by similar visits to Niger and Burkina Faso. 

Reflection

Speaking after a closed-door meeting with the Malian Transition President, President Mahama said the visit underscored the enduring friendship between the two nations, built upon a foundation laid by their founding fathers, President Dr Kwame Nkrumah and President Modibo Keita.

He said the visit reinforced his administration’s efforts to engage with neighbouring countries and strengthen Ghana’s policy of good neighbourliness.

“Everybody knows the historic relations that have existed between Ghana and Mali since the period of our ex-Presidents, Keita and Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and so I came on a friendly visit, and also to thank President Goita for allowing Prime Minister Maiga to visit Ghana when I was being inaugurated as President.”

President Mahama underscored the importance of transit trade and the deep cultural ties that bound the two nations, reiterating Ghana’s dedication to promoting economic growth across the sub-region.

He also stressed the importance of transit trade and the deep cultural ties that bound the two nations, reiterating Ghana’s dedication to promoting economic growth across the sub-region. 

Terrorism

The President also spoke about the growing threat of insurgency and terrorism in West Africa and stressed the importance of strengthening ties with the AES to advance Africa’s sovereignty and find collaborative solutions to those pressing regional challenges.

Addressing the complex relationship between the ECOWAS and the Sahel states, President Mahama expressed the belief that despite their departure from ECOWAS, the friendship and brotherly love among the people should continue.

He advocated continued dialogue and reconciliation between the Sahel states and the regional bloc.

Background

President Mahama’s visit to the AES is his first to the Sahel region since his assumption of the presidency in January this year to rebuild a lost friendship between Ghana and the Sahel countries.

The frosty relationship between Ghana, ECOWAS and the AES stemmed from the non-negotiable demand by the regional bloc for the Sahel states to reinstate democratic governance following the military takeovers in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The stance of ECOWAS followed by the Military Chiefs of the ECOWAS states threatening to invade the three countries, forced them to jointly release a statement in protest against that decision amid threats of reprisal attacks on ECOWAS member states.  

The ensuing development led to the exit of the three countries which later formed the AES, worsening the loggerheads between the AES and the ECOWAS.

The mistrust buried decades of policy of good neighbourliness and mutual friendship between the ECOWAS states, including Ghana.

The stance of the AES worsened when former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, while in the United States, said Burkina Faso’s actions were backed by Russia, the geopolitical arch-rival of the US.

However, the return of President Mahama has rebirthed the friendship and trust between Ghana and the AES which was evident in the attendance of key government functionaries from the AES at his investiture.

President Mahama in a display of commitment also appointed Lt Colonel Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (retd), a well-known military and security expert, as the Special Envoy to the AES.