Nigeria and Mali have agreed to convene a Joint Commission to revitalize dormant bilateral agreements and strengthen diplomatic ties between both nations.

?This was the key outcome of a diplomatic engagement at Tafawa Balewa House in Abuja, where the Ambassador of Mali to Nigeria, Oumar Coulibaly, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

?The Minister noted that Nigeria and Mali have historically enjoyed very cordial bilateral relations, emphasizing that the recent exit of the Sahel states—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—from ECOWAS would not cause Nigeria to abandon its relationship with them. She stressed the urgent need for military cooperation to address security challenges in the Sahel, particularly terrorism and banditry.

?Highlighting the importance of the upcoming Joint Commission, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu described it as a critical platform to reactivate agreements across key sectors. Security, trade, energy, the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), and curbing irregular migration and human trafficking will top the agenda.

?“This meeting is long overdue,” the Minister said. “Nigeria and Mali share common objectives and goals, and we need to deepen our bilateral relations. Regardless of happenings in the region, Nigeria believes it should keep its doors open for Mali. As a nation, we believe we should forge closeness.”

?She further stated: “We know what the security situation is in the Sahel. For us, the Joint Commission is the most viable platform to cooperate, and this could give us the opportunity to launch targeted security cooperation to tackle terrorism.

?“Energy is another area where we can collaborate. We are concerned about the energy shortage in Mali because what happens to Mali is important to Nigeria. We must create ease of movement, as people-to-people contact is vital to us. The challenges we are experiencing across the Sahel require broader participation. We need a purposeful, working security agreement to contribute to peace and stability across the West African region.”

?During the meeting, the Minister conveyed the sympathies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the people of Nigeria to Mali over the recent wave of rebel attacks in the country, which claimed the life of Mali's Defence Minister, General Sadio Camara, on April 25 this year.

?Responding, Ambassador Coulibaly described Nigeria as a "big brother" and agreed that despite regional friction, African nations must maintain strong bilateral relationships. He called for an immediate political dialogue between both countries ahead of the proposed Joint Commission to address human trafficking and shared security threats.

?The Ambassador also announced that as part of the BASA, Nigerian carrier Air Peace will commence flight operations on the Lagos-to-Bamako route later this month.