AES: Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Strengthen Ties and End Fiscal Agreements with France
The vision of the Heads of State of the AES (Alliance of the Sahel States) is to stand united on security, diplomatic, and development issues. To materialize this vision, the three countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—must free themselves from any foreign constraints, especially those imposed by France. This is imperative to ensure the economic development of the Sahel in line with the legal and institutional frameworks of the alliance. Mali and Niger have therefore closed the door on France, thus ending fiscal agreements, following the action taken last August by President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso.
The contested convention is that of « non-double taxation, » which hardly benefits Niger and Mali, but rather favors France. It stipulates that individuals and businesses should no longer pay taxes twice on the same income in the countries that are signatories to the convention.
The termination of this convention between France and the AES countries has economic implications according to tax experts. Firstly, the two countries will be able to collect taxes on incomes earned by French individuals and French multinational companies before the denunciation takes effect in three months. Secondly, the governments of the three countries can strengthen their own relationships based on sincere and mutually beneficial agreements.
This decision by the Malian and Nigerien governments is motivated by their commitment to safeguard the paramount interests of their nations and people, to break free from France’s colonial dominance
represented by this convention. This convention has caused significant losses to the three countries for decades.
