Sahel States ministers sign higher education cooperation agreement

Ministers of higher education from the Confederation of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—signed a cooperation agreement in Ouagadougou on October 13, 2026. The agreement aims to harmonize training curricula within higher education and research institutions across the three nations.

Burkina Faso's Minister of Higher Education, Adjima Thiombiano, emphasized the need to integrate endogenous African knowledge into university training to better meet the specific needs and realities of local populations. The initiative seeks to ensure that scientific research is more effectively utilized for regional development and that academic themes resonate with the citizens of the AES member states.