The heads of state of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger will meet in the Malian capital on December 22 and 23, 2025, for the second session of the College of Heads of State of the Confederation of Sahel States (CESS). The meeting aims to deepen sovereign integration and review progress on the roadmap established after its founding.
The Confederation of Sahel States, formally created in July 2024 after its definitive break with ECOWAS, seeks to establish a regional model based on self-determination, sovereignty, and autonomous economic development.
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During the summit, the leaders assessed the progress made during the first year of operation and strengthened their institutional mechanisms in defense, security, and diplomacy to address common territorial challenges.
Among the key achievements were the implementation of symbols of unity such as the anthem “Sahel Benkan” and the institutional motto “One space, one people, one destiny,” as well as the activation of the Confederal Bank for Investment and Development, with an initial capital of 500 billion CFA francs.
Furthermore, the launch of the confederal biometric passport and the national confederal identity card was announced, key tools for guaranteeing free movement among the three countries.
Le Président de la République du Niger, Son Excellence le Général d’Armée Abdourahamane TIANI, est arrivé ce lundi 22 décembre 2025 à Bamako, capitale malienne, où se tiendra, le mardi 23 décembre 2025, le 2ᵉ Collège des Chefs d’État de la Confédération des États du Sahel (AES). pic.twitter.com/21cfABcKP3
— Presidence Mali (@PresidenceMali) December 22, 2025
In the area of communications, the Confederation took a strategic step with the launch of Télé AES and Radio Daandè Liptako, media outlets aimed at strengthening a sovereign and regional narrative. Prior to the summit, the Council of Ministers reviewed the development protocols and regulations for future parliamentary sessions.
At the end of the day, the College is expected to appoint the new president of the organization, reaffirming a political architecture focused on the well-being and dignity of the Sahel peoples in the face of external pressures. The Confederation, founded on the basis of the Liptako-Gourma Charter of 2023, thus consolidates itself as a sovereign geopolitical alternative in West Africa.
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