By Carlos Lopes Pereira
December 5, 2025

The author, a former member of the Secretariat of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (PAIGC), writes about African events for Avante!, the newspaper of the Portuguese Communist Party. This article was published Dec. 4 in Avante! Translation: John Catalinotto

The authorities of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger continue to work on strengthening the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), formed just over two years ago to safeguard their national sovereignty and the right of their peoples to decide their future.

It was recently reported that a train convoy of 82 tanker trucks arrived in Bamako, traveling along the corridor between Niamey (the capital of Niger) and the Malian capital, a 870-mile route considered highly dangerous due to insecurity in border areas.

The fuel shipment was welcomed in a formal ceremony led by Malian government officials.

The initiative came from Nigerien President Abdourahmane Tiani, who made the delivery available as part of an effort to support Mali, which faces growing energy needs. This gesture of solidarity is part of the dynamic of cooperation between African countries seeking to strengthen their sovereignty in the face of external interference.

[A more recent statement reported that Burkina Faso sent 200 tanker trucks of energy supplies to Mali, arriving Dec. 2.]

According to data from international organizations, Mali consumes around 40,000 barrels of hydrocarbons daily, equivalent to more than six million liters. This high consumption is due to the predominance of road transport, growing demand for electricity and the absence of a national oil refining infrastructure, which forces the country to depend almost entirely on imports.

The Telesur news platform reports that Niger’s delivery of fuel represents temporary relief for Malians and strengthens the bonds of solidarity between the two peoples, in a context marked by security challenges and the need to move towards greater regional energy integration. Furthermore, the success of the Niger train highlights the strategic importance of regional logistics corridors, particularly in a context characterized by energy supply disruptions caused by insecurity or economic constraints.

Niger, which became an oil exporter after the launch of the Niger-Benin pipeline, is consolidating its role as an energy supplier to its neighbors. This comes as Mali is seeking to diversify and secure its energy supplies.

The Malian authorities have emphasized that this oil delivery from Niger will contribute to temporarily stabilizing the domestic market, which has been affected by supply shortages. The operation also strengthens relations between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, members of the AES, created in September 2023 with the aim of defending the sovereignty of the three countries that face threats of external aggression.

Currently, the three countries are intensifying joint initiatives in the areas of security, energy and the economy, with the aim of building supply chains that are less vulnerable to external pressures. Discussions between member states are progressing to secure trade corridors and develop strategic alliances, with a particular focus on the natural gas sector.

Organizations in West Africa highlight the fact that the Burkinabe, Malian and Nigerien peoples continue to struggle to free themselves from neo-colonial control and create their own path toward regional unity and sovereignty. They do this despite imperialism’s attempts to halt this process by supporting actions aimed at weakening the popular governments in the region.