The three West African nations—Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso—currently governed by military regimes, have signed a treaty signaling their commitment to a unified path independent of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has been advocating for their return to democratic rule.
The confederation treaty was finalized on Saturday during the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), signifying a pivotal move towards enhanced cooperation in the insurgency-ridden central Sahel region.
These countries experienced military coups between 2020 and 2023, resulting in severed military and diplomatic ties with regional and Western allies.
General Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger’s military leader, hailed the AES summit as “the culmination of our determined common will to reclaim our national sovereignty,” according to Reuters.
“In irrevocably turning our backs on ECOWAS,” Tiani declared, “it is now our responsibility to establish the AES Confederation as an alternative to any artificial regional group, creating a community free from the influence of foreign powers.”
The signing of the confederation treaty solidifies Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso’s rejection of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This decision by the three West African countries comes on the eve of an ECOWAS summit aimed at convincing them to reconsider their withdrawal from the bloc, a decision they announced in January.
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