Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Finalise Plans To Form Confederation After Quitting ECOWAS
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have finalized plans to create a confederation after distancing themselves from France and seeking closer ties with Russia. Their foreign ministers met in Niger’s capital, Niamey, to establish the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, announced that the objective of the meeting was to finalize the draft text for the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States. He mentioned that the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at an upcoming summit, without specifying the date.
Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop stated that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States had been established after meeting with General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of the Nigerien military regime.
The third foreign minister present at the meeting was Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore of Burkina Faso. The decision to form this confederation comes amid ongoing deadly jihadist violence in the Sahel region, which the countries accuse France of failing to address effectively.
In late January, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing French influence within the organization and aiming to create their own regional grouping.
This move represents a significant geopolitical shift in the region, as these countries seek to assert their independence and pursue alliances that they believe better serve their interests.
SaharaReporters
