Nigeria, Mali deepen political consultations, discuss Sahel security at UNGA81

Nigeria and Mali have deepened political consultations on regional security, economic cooperation and developments in the Sahel and West Africa.

The discussions took place during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdoulaye Diop, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York.

The meeting provided an opportunity for both countries to exchange views on developments in Mali, the Sahel and the wider West African region, while exploring ways of strengthening bilateral relations.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Magnus Eze, said Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria’s longstanding historical ties with Mali and expressed Nigeria’s interest in a stable, peaceful and prosperous Sahel.

According to Eze, the minister noted that the security challenges confronting the region required sustained cooperation among neighbouring countries.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu highlighted the cross-border nature of terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, trafficking, arms proliferation and illicit financial flows, stressing the need for stronger regional mechanisms to address the threats.

She also emphasised the importance of African ownership of solutions to the continent’s peace and security challenges and encouraged continued dialogue between Mali, West African countries and regional institutions.

The ministers also discussed the evolving relationship between Mali and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), African Union peace and security mechanisms, regional integration, bilateral trade and economic relations, as well as mobility and people-to-people contacts.

Eze said the two sides further explored opportunities to deepen bilateral economic cooperation and strengthen relations between the peoples of Nigeria and Mali.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, according to the statement, 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 comes against the backdrop of efforts by Nigeria and Mali to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Eze recalled that in July 2026, the two countries agreed to revitalise their Joint Commission and identified security, trade, energy, irregular migration, human trafficking and the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) as priority areas for cooperation.

Nigeria, the statement added, remains committed to strengthening regional cooperation and supporting peaceful, African-led responses to the interconnected security and development challenges confronting West Africa and the Sahel.