After Benin, Ivory Coast Wants to Resume Dialogue with Mali and Burkina Faso

Ivory Coast's Defense Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara stated on Tuesday June 17 in Paris that Abidjan is ready to resume joint operations with Bamako and Ouagadougou. This announcement follows the diplomatic thaw initiated by Benin's President Romuald Wadagni towards members of the Sahel States Alliance. Relations between Ivory Coast and its northern neighbors have been strained since the arrest of 49 Ivorian soldiers in Bamako in January 2022 and border incidents with Burkina Faso. The minister emphasized the need for coordinated action against the terrorist threat.