On 24 January 2025, at a high-level public meeting of the United Nations Security Council on the fight against terrorism in Africa, in New York, Ambassador Issa Konfourou, Permanent Representative of Mali to the United Nations, spoke on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES Son). His speech highlighted the AES’ global and integrated approach to eradicating terrorism, while denouncing the inaction and inconsistencies of the international community, including the United Nations. A global and sovereign strategy Ambassador Konfourou underlined that the fight against terrorism in the Sahel is based on a holistic approach, combining: political measures: strengthening governance and the rule of law. Social and economic development: prevention of radicalisation and reintegration of vulnerable groups. Justice and reconciliation: resolving community conflicts and promoting social cohesion. Sécurité: support to national armed forces for the protection of the population. He proposed four priority axes for an effective response: Support for African initiatives in respect of national sovereignty. Strengthening regional cooperation in the field of intelligence and the fight against illicit financing. Synergy between development and security, focused on prevention and deradicalisation. Support for the strengthening of the military capacities of the AES member countries. A plea against international bias The Ambassador strongly denounced the lack of recognition of the AES’s efforts in the United Nations reports, accused of focusing on security incidents to the detriment of concrete successes. It also called into question the ineffectiveness of international interventions, recalling the disastrous consequences of the NATO intervention in Libya in 2011, which deeply destabilised the Sahel.
Le Sahel affirms itself: the Confederation of Sahel States calls on the UN and proposes African solutions to terrorism
