Africa-Press. Nick Chicker, who assumed leadership of the US State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs on 6 January, is set to begin an official visit to Mali on Monday, 2 February, as part of Washington’s efforts to revitalize relations with Bamako, as well as with Niamey and Ouagadougou, within broader counterterrorism initiatives in the Sahel region.
In Washington, Chicker is being described as the new “Mr Sahel”, as the US administration seeks to rebuild communication channels with the ruling military councils in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
During his stay in Bamako, he is expected to meet officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with military and security leaders, at a time when the United States does not conceal his professional background as a former officer of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
According to US diplomatic sources, Chicker’s visit is part of a wider approach aimed at reviving security and intelligence cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States, including information-sharing and the conduct of targeted counterterrorism operations.
In Mali, the US envoy is also expected to address Washington’s economic interests in the region, alongside the security issues that top the agenda of his visit.
