On February 9, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso held a meeting in Ouagadougou. The gathering ended with a declaration of the three countries to unite efforts in requesting sub-regional and regional organizations to review their copy following the sanctions.
Topics such as the success of transition processes for a return to constitutional order, the promotion of good governance, and the pooling of resources to meet security, economic and humanitarian challenges were discussed.
The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the three countries intend to make the axis Conakry-Bamako-Ouagadougou the driving force of the development of their countries. It is from Conakry that the other two countries wish to obtain supplies of hydrocarbons, electrical energy and other consumer products. On the security front, the three countries noted the need to combine their efforts with those of the sub-region countries.
"While encouraging the search for endogenous solutions to the challenges their countries face, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to examining any partnership that respects their sovereignty and meets the needs of their populations. To do this, they reiterated their commitment to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States", explains Olivia Rouamba, Burkinabè Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The three countries are calling for the lifting of ECOWAS and African Union sanctions. They ask the two organizations for technical, financial, concrete and substantial support to accompany the process of returning to constitutional order.
"We are not reinventing the wheel, we are not against the African Union, we are not against ECOWAS," declares Morissanda Kouayté, Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs, who adds: "Rather, as our three countries, to set an example that we can do better, that we can do more for the African populations for whom we are at the head of the States."
The three countries have decided to establish and institutionalize a permanent consultation framework at the highest level, hailing the vision of the "well-being of the populations."