The three countries of northwest Africa formalized their alliance at their first summit in Niamey, Niger, which confirmed their break with the West African bloc.
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A new alliance is born. The military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger “adopted the treaty establishing a confederation between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger called the Confederation of Sahel States (AES)”it is stated in a press release. The three countries of northwest Africa met on Saturday, July 6 in Niamey, Niger, to ratify their alliance. The heads of state of the three countries, military personnel who came to power through putsches, “have decided to take a further step towards deeper integration between the Member States”they assured.
The three AES countries announced in January their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organization that they consider to be manipulated by France, the former colonial power with which they have repeatedly broken away. The creation of this confederation confirms this divorce with the West African bloc. “Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS”said General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the Niger military regime.
AES-ECOWAS relations deteriorated significantly following the July 26, 2023 coup that brought General Tiani to power. ECOWAS then imposed heavy economic sanctions against Niger and threatened to intervene militarily to restore the ousted president, Mohamed Bazoum, to office. The sanctions have since been lifted in February, but relations between the two sides remain frosty. ECOWAS is due to hold a summit of its heads of state in Abuja on Sunday, where the issue of relations with AES will be on the agenda.
