Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announce establishment of Alliance of Sahel States at inaugural joint summit News
Public Domain (Sgt. Benjamin Northcutt)
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announce establishment of Alliance of Sahel States at inaugural joint summit

The military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced on Saturday the establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) at the first joint summit of the three Sahel states.

The leader of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traore declared that the summit and signing of the treaty leading to the establishment of the confederation were critical steps for the advancement of the three Sahel states’ common space, claiming commitment to independence, a peace and growth. The signing comes three months after Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s military leadership agreed that they would withdraw from the regional economic organization, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In September 2023, the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This mutual defense pact would eventually lead to the three Sahel states’ withdrawal from ECOWAS. The AES was created as a structure for strategic alliance between the three countries who have been isolated following military coups.

The African Sahel region has emerged as a focal point of instability in recent years. The region has been afflicted by military takeovers and extreme poverty, which has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis and weakened regional security.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional political and economic union comprised of fifteen West African nations with the primary goal of encouraging economic cooperation among member states to increase living standards and foster economic growth.

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