For Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, can unity be strength?

The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea met today. In particular, they want to work together to be heard by regional organizations.

This Thursday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, the meeting is a small event. While the Foreign Ministers of the various African countries are used to meeting, often under the aegis of sub-regional organizations or the African Union, the meeting between the heads of diplomacy from Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea looks like a encounter between marginalized countries.

These three countries have in common to have suffered coups in recent years. But also for having tried to stand up to ECOWAS and other organizations that threatened them with sanctions – which were most of the time applied. Finally, from Bamako to Ouagadougou, via Conakry, the Russian temptation has succeeded partnerships with France.

Under the aegis of the Burkinabè government, the three foreign ministers, Abdoulaye Diop, Morissanda Kouyaté and Olivia Rouamba, wanted to meet to discuss the future of their countries. A meeting which, coincidence or not of the calendar, took place barely two days after the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Mali. The latter, among other things, promised his aid "to the Sahelo-Saharan region and even to the countries bordering the Gulf of Guinea".

Converging interests?

Russia has already made a good start on its new partnership with Mali. The proof : Wagner actually took place in this country, much to the chagrin of the West. On the side of Burkina Faso, it is more vague: the Burkinabè Prime Minister traveled to Moscow et Ghana accused Wagner of already being present at his neighbor's.

Morissanda Kouyaté, before any joint declaration, sold the wick as to the message that would be sent. “Together, we are going to make a statement to regional organizations, so that we can hear even more audibly the claims and requests of our peoples through our governments and our leaders”. In other words, Guinea, Burkina and Mali want to launch an unofficial organization of non-aligned African countries, and unite to be stronger in the face of sub-regional bodies.

Three countries which have in common to have complicated relations with the West: Mali had urged Barkhane's soldiers to leave the country. More recently it is Burkina Faso which issued an ultimatum to France. Three countries that want, finally, to multiply their partnerships and have win-win relationships with their partners. "We really want to look at other horizons," simply explained Captain Traoré in recent days. The Burkinabè president hinted that he would acquire Russian military equipment in the coming months.