Alliance of Sahel States holds inaugural youth forum in Ouagadougou

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) launched its first Confederation Forum for Youth and Volunteering in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on August 28, 2026. The three-day event brings together youth representatives from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to discuss their role in the consolidation of the Sahelian confederation.

Under the theme ‘Consolidation of the Confederation of Sahel States: role, responsibility, and engagement of youth,’ the forum aims to generate concrete proposals regarding civic participation, solidarity, and common policies for youth and volunteering across the three member states.

During the opening ceremonies, ministers from the participating nations emphasized the importance of youth engagement. Mali’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Abdoul Kassim Fomba, stated that the construction of the Confederation requires the ‘full, complete, and responsible participation’ of its youth. Niger’s Minister of Youth, Sidi Mohamed Almahmoud, called for the fraternity between the three nations to be expressed through ‘concrete actions of change, common projects, and active solidarity.’