Burundi president Évariste Ndayishimiye arrived in Ouagadougou on Monday for a working visit, holding high-level talks with Ibrahim Traoré as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen engagement between the African Union and Sahel states.
Ndayishimiye, who currently serves as chairperson of the African Union, was received at the Presidential Palace in Koulouba, according to official communications from the Burundian presidency.
In a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the presidency said the Burundi head of state and Current Chairperson of the African Union was received in audience by Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso who is the current Chairperson of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), at the Presidential Palace of Koulouba.
“The exchanges between these two high-ranking figures focused on the ways and means to establish and strengthen a bridge of cooperation between the countries of the AES, currently suspended from the African Union, and this continental organisation.” the statement read.
The talks signal a potential diplomatic opening between the African Union and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) a bloc comprising Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger which have been at odds with regional and continental bodies following military takeovers in recent years.
Burkina Faso, which is under a military-led transition, remains at the center of the Sahel’s security crisis, facing persistent attacks from armed groups and shifting geopolitical alliances.
Ndayishimiye’s visit underscores his expanding diplomatic role since assuming the rotating AU chairmanship in 2026, as the continental body seeks to maintain dialogue with member states undergoing political transitions.
Analysts say the visit reflects Burundi’s expanding diplomatic footprint and Ndayishimiye’s increasingly prominent role in continental affairs since assuming the rotating AU chairmanship earlier this year.
