The military regimes of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso marked their separation from the rest of West Africa on Saturday by signing a treaty to establish a confederation among them.
During the first summit of the three countries, who withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year, there were calls for increased cooperation across various sectors.
“Our people have firmly decided to distance themselves from ECOWAS,” said Niger’s ruling General Abdourahamane Tiani as he addressed his fellow Sahel leaders in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
The three leaders, who came to power through coups in recent years, announced the establishment of a confederation in a joint statement at the end of the summit.
The confederation, named “Confederation of Sahel States” (AES) and initially led by Mali, will include around 72 million people.
Their decision to leave ECOWAS was influenced in part by allegations of manipulation by Paris within the bloc and lack of support for anti-jihadist efforts.
– Shift away from France –
Tiani emphasized that the AES was the most effective regional grouping in combating terrorism and criticized ECOWAS for its lack of involvement in this fight. The move away from France signifies the trio’s intention to establish a bloc independent from foreign influence.
The three countries have expelled French troops and turned to Russia, Turkey, and Iran as their “sincere partners” in the fight against terrorism.
In early March, the AES announced joint efforts against jihadism without specifying details.
Despite the presence of anti-jihadist forces, insurgents affiliated with Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group continue to carry out attacks in the “three borders” region shared by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
ECOWAS is scheduled to hold a summit of heads of state in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday, where discussions on relations with the AES will take place.
Following a 2023 coup in Niger that brought Tiani to power, relations with ECOWAS deteriorated, leading to sanctions that were eventually lifted in February, but tensions between the two sides persist.
This summit marks the first meeting of all three Sahelian leaders since assuming power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
– ‘Serious project’ –
Gilles Yabi, founder of the West African think tank Wathi, stressed the seriousness of the initiative and the solidarity of the committed heads of state.
The trio prioritizes sovereignty and aims to introduce a common currency. Several West African presidents have recently called for a resolution to resume dialogue between ECOWAS and the Sahel countries.
While fears of a standoff between the AES and ECOWAS persist, the leaders also discussed mutualizing their approach in strategic sectors such as agriculture, water, energy, and transport.
They also advocated for greater representation of indigenous languages in local media, but the communiqué did not mention the creation of a common currency to replace the CFA franc.
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