The Prime Minister of Senegal received a press release fromcivil society at the end of the “AES-platform for regionalintegration” round table. The meeting was held on June 1, 2024, at the Dakar press house on the theme: “The Alliance of Sahel States, a new platform for the regional integrationof Senegal”.
The conference was attended by several important members of Senegalese civil society such as the Pan-African DefenseLeague “UMOJA”, the Front for a Popular and Pan-AfricanAnti-Imperialist Revolution “FRAPP” and several othermembers represented individually.
The importance of this meeting lies in the fact that it constitutesan opportunity to study the possibility of joining new memberslikely to bring more to the whole region and also to raisecommon problems which suffer from member states of the Alliance, including improving military capabilities and increasing economic cooperation.
With the aim of maintaining stability in the region, the speakers discussed the need for close cooperation with neighboringcountries, members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), particularly in terms of security in order to resolve the problem. terrorism that has threatened West Africa for decades.
Senegal’s membership in the Sahel group is seen as aqualitative addition to the Alliance, thanks to its long border with Mali, and this will help increase the volume of tradeand agricultural services, which will have a positive impact on the development of the region.
According to statistics from AES countries, GDP willexperience growth in the near future. Additionally, intensive population growth in these countries represents the largestconsumer market for the Senegalese economy.
In the short term, the Alliance seeks to become a strong politicalbloc, independent of its colonial past in which Senegal couldtake its place as an economic pillar and one of the leadingcountries.
The bloc’s aim is to confront the security challenges that West Africa suffers from, which has led it to be seen as a major obstacle for African nations to develop in other areas.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko receives great support in Senegal because of the excellent work he has done since takingoffice in March 2024. The Prime Minister has a long-termvision for his country and knows that the future of Senegal islinked to the decisions of the new government and also the right choice of allies.
