Mali and Senegal have agreed to strengthen their security cooperation

Recently, Mali and Senegal decided to increase their security cooperation. Senegalese Defense Minister General Birame Diop met with his Malian counterpart, General Sadio Camara, while in Mali from February 5–7, 2025. They talked about important security topics such military training, intelligence sharing, border security, and counterterrorism initiatives. Several agreements to strengthen defense cooperation between the two nations were signed as a result of this discussion.

General Diop urged for more cross-border patrols and more military training exchanges, stressing that this collaboration is in line with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's strategic vision. He said, "The fight against terrorism, violent extremism, cross-border crime, illicit trafficking, and criminal networks requires a joint effort."

General Camara praised the improved collaboration and emphasized that, even after leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mali is still willing to work closely with Senegal.

This discovery occurs amid escalating security issues in the Sahel, where terrorist assaults have increased across West Africa. Nearly 4,000 terrorism-related deaths occurred in the region in 2023, making up 47% of all deaths worldwide, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace's 2024 Global Terrorism Index. The region along the Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger borders has been most severely affected.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) intends to create a combined force of 5,000 soldiers to fight armed groups and improve regional stability in response to the escalating danger.

In order to address common security problems in the region, Mali and Senegal's agreement to strengthen security cooperation is a verified and appropriate effort.