by Nurat Uthman
Military-led Burkina Faso’s president landed in Niger on Friday afternoon for the first summit between leaders of a new Sahel bloc on Saturday, according to an AFP journalist.
Ibrahim Traore was welcomed at the Niamey international airport by Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of the Nigerien military regime that overthrew civilian president Mohamed Bazoum almost a year ago.
Many of Niamey’s residents lined the official route to cheer the Burkinabe leader, waving flags of Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali.
Tiani will also host Malian Colonel Assimi Goita, who’s expected to arrive Saturday morning.
The Burkinabe presidency said “the fight against terrorism” and the “consolidation of cooperation” will be on Saturday’s agenda, given the deadly jihadist violence the three countries face.
Saturday’s summit in the Nigerien capital will be the first between the military leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States, AES, set up in September last year.
The trio left regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January, alleging it was manipulated by France and not providing enough anti-jihadist support.
ECOWAS leaders will themselves meet at a summit in Nigeria on Sunday to discuss relations with the AES
