Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko visited Mali for the first time since his political party came to power in the March 2024 presidential elections.

Sonko's visit is a part of diplomatic efforts led by Senegal to convince junta-ruled Mali to return to Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a 15-nation regional bloc established in 1975.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have left ECOWAS after the military takeovers fractured their relations with West African neighbors.

Following a meeting with Colonel Assimi Goita, interim president of Mali, Sonko said the West African nations must set differences aside to recreate "a Malian empire that stretched from here to Senegal, Ghana and everywhere in between".

In January, the juntas of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso said that instead of helping their countries fight the security threats facing them, ECOWAS imposed “illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions when they staged the coups “to take their destiny into their own hands.”

ECOWAS has been leading efforts to return civilian rule to the coup-hit countries, pressuring the juntas with sanctions and rejecting lengthy transitional timetables.

It was the first time in the bloc’s nearly 50 years of existence that its members were withdrawing in such a manner.

The three nations formed an alternative union called The Alliance of Sahel States.

Senegal’s President Basirou Diomaye Faye who visited Mali in May is also tasked with the huge challenge of reuniting a weakened regional bloc.