The Sahel is at an inflection point. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have reconsidered their relations with Western security frameworks, formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), and pivoted toward new partnerships, reshaping the region’s political, security, and humanitarian landscape in the process.
As part of the Stimson Center’s Ambassador Series, this event brings together the sitting ambassadors of all three AES member states for a joint, moderated conversation on the forces driving regional realignment and the prospects for constructive engagement going forward. The discussion will span the AES political project, shifting security arrangements, humanitarian conditions, critical minerals governance, and the conditions under which a reframed relationship with the United States might be possible.
The event will be moderated by Hafed Al-Ghwell, Senior Fellow and Director of the North Africa Program at the Stimson Center, and is open to policymakers, diplomats, analysts, and members of the public with an interest in Sahel and African affairs.
Featured Speakers
His Excellency Kassoum Coulibaly, Ambassador of Burkina Faso to the United States
Her Excellency Clemence Bare, Ambassador of Niger to the United States
His Excellency Sékou Berthe, Ambassador of the Republic of Mali to the United States
Hafed Al Ghwell, Director & Senior Fellow, North Africa, the Mediterranean and the Sahel Program at the Stimson Center (Moderator)