AES: Mining, energy and hydrocarbons at the heart of a new ambition for sovereignty

The Sahel States Alliance wants to better leverage its mineral and energy resources. In Ouagadougou, the opening of the SAMAO (Sahel and West Africa Mining and Energy Week) and the first Energy, Mining and Hydrocarbons Week of the AES (Sahel and Africa Economic Alliance) on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, placed resource management at the heart of the discussions.

Chaired by Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, the ceremony brought together representatives from the three ESA countries, experts and economic actors to discuss issues related to extractive resources.

For the head of the Burkinabe government, sovereignty cannot be limited to possessing resources in its subsoil. It must also allow states to better control their exploitation and further develop local processing.

This ambition relies in particular on securing production areas, local processing of raw materials, strengthened governance, and the availability of reliable energy. The stated objective is to make mineral and energy resources a greater driver of job creation, industrialization, and social progress.

The meeting also opens up opportunities for new partnerships. AES reaffirms its willingness to work with investors and partners committed to mutually beneficial cooperation.

With this double meeting, Ouagadougou wants to make mining, energy and hydrocarbons major sectors of economic construction and sovereignty of the Sahel states.

Yolande Bazié