BAMAKO, Mali
Niger's military ruler General Abdourahamane Tiani on Thursday met with his counterparts in Mali and Burkina Faso in his first international visits since seizing power in July.
Niger's neighbours Mali and
Burkina Faso which are ruled by military leaders who seized power in 2020 and
2022, respectively -- have pledged solidarity with Niger's coup leaders.
Tiani arrived in Burkina Faso
on Thursday evening for a "friendship and working visit" with Captain
Ibrahim Traore.
The pair discussed "issues
common to both countries, in particular the fight against terrorism and
socio-economic development", according to a statement from Burkina's
presidency.
In Bamako earlier in the day,
he had thanked his Malian counterpart Colonel Assimi Goita for "the
support and determination of the Malian authorities and people to work with the
authorities and people of Niger, whatever the obstacles".
The three Sahel countries in
September signed a pact that includes provisions for mutual defence in the
event of an attack on the "sovereignty and territorial integrity" of
any of the countries.
While in Mali, Tiani said the
aim of the alliance was to transform the Sahel region from an "area of
insecurity" to "an area of prosperity".
The leaders also plan to
strengthen economic ties and Tiani thanked his neighbours for standing by his
country after Niger's regional and Western partners announced a series of
sanctions against it following the coup.
"It would seem that the
purpose of the embargo was to exert pressure on the authorities," Tiani
said.
"But this does not take
into account the fact it is actually the people who are suffering... that is
why we are willing to exchange, to negotiate, but with people motivated by good
will, with sincere people, with people who care about the African people."
The regimes are also united in
the fight against jihadism in their countries.
Shortly after taking power,
Tiani pledged to return Niger to civilian rule within three years.
Mali, meanwhile, has
indefinitely postponed a presidential election that was scheduled for early
2024.
Mali plans to host ministers from the three countries for meetings with the aim of ironing out the operational details of the new Sahel alliance, it said in a statement Thursday.
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