Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has emphasized the need for stronger cooperation among countries facing cross-border threats in the Sahel region. She made this call during a bilateral meeting with Mali's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The meeting focused on strengthening political consultations between Nigeria and Mali and exchanging views on developments in Mali, the Sahel, and the wider West African region.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria's longstanding historical ties with Mali and stressed Nigeria's interest in a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Sahel. She identified terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, trafficking, arms proliferation, and illicit financial flows among the threats requiring stronger regional mechanisms. The minister also stressed the importance of African ownership of solutions to the continent's peace and security challenges.
The two ministers discussed Mali's evolving relationship with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), African Union peace and security mechanisms, and regional integration. They also examined bilateral trade and economic relations, mobility, and people-to-people contacts, as well as opportunities to expand economic cooperation between Nigeria and Mali.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria's willingness to maintain constructive bilateral consultations with Mali and expressed interest in continued cooperation at the multilateral level, including mutual support for Nigeria's multilateral candidatures. The latest engagement followed a July 2026 agreement between Nigeria and Mali to revitalise their Joint Commission, with both countries identifying security, trade, energy, irregular migration, human trafficking, and the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as priority areas for cooperation.
The meeting further underscored Nigeria's efforts to maintain dialogue and cooperation with Mali while supporting African-led responses to the interconnected security and development challenges facing the Sahel and West Africa. Nigeria is pushing for sustained dialogue with Mali on security challenges confronting the Sahel region. The Sahel region has been plagued by insecurity, with many countries facing threats from terrorist groups.
The bilateral meeting between Nigeria and Mali highlights the importance of regional cooperation in addressing security challenges. The two countries have a long history of cooperation, and the meeting aimed to strengthen this cooperation. The discussion also focused on ways to enhance economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
The meeting between Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Diop demonstrates Nigeria's commitment to regional cooperation and African-led solutions to peace and security challenges. The two ministers agreed to continue dialogue and cooperation on issues of mutual interest, including security, trade, and economic development.
Key points
- Nigeria and Mali discuss security cooperation in Sahel region
- Nigeria pushes for sustained dialogue with Mali on Sahel security challenges
- Nigeria and Mali agree to strengthen bilateral cooperation on security, trade, and economic development
