AES : Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger finalize their confederation
The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met last week in Niamey. The aim of this meeting was to finalize the project of creating the Confederation of the Sahel States Alliance (AES), an initiative that is expected to be adopted soon by the heads of state of the three countries.
Indeed, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, respectively under the leadership of Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Colonel Assimi Goïta, and General Abdourahamane Tiani, have reached a crucial stage in their quest for regional cooperation by finalizing in Niamey, the capital of Niger, the founding document of the Confederation of the Sahel States Alliance (AES).
This agreement, announced by several international media outlets, symbolizes a new dynamic of collaboration among these Sahelian nations, often faced with common challenges.
Since their rupture with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and France, these three countries have sought to strengthen their autonomy and regional integration. The heads of state, who will meet in the coming weeks to officially adopt this document, see in the AES a means to more effectively address the security and economic crises shaking the region.
During the meeting on May 17 in Niamey, Abdoulaye Diop (Mali), Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré (Burkina Faso), and Bakary Yaou Sangaré (Niger) discussed the modalities for implementing this new entity. Sangaré clarified that the objective of the meeting was « to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Sahel States Alliance ».
The draft text, the details of which remain confidential, will be submitted to the heads of state for imminent adoption. Abdoulaye Diop expressed his satisfaction at the end of the meeting with General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Nation in Niger, stating, « We can clearly consider today that the Confederation of the Sahel States Alliance is born ».
The Confederation will cover the geographical area of the Liptako-Gourma, a cross-border region rich in natural resources shared between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. By uniting, these countries hope not only to improve security in this area, often plagued by attacks from armed groups but also to stimulate economic development through concerted resource management.
It should be noted that the withdrawal of ECOWAS from these three Sahelian countries was perceived as an act of emancipation and sovereignty in relation to harmful external influences, notably French. The authorities of the three countries have made it known that the sub-regional organization is being manipulated by Paris, which motivated their departure last January. The AES thus represents an attempt to build a new form of cooperation, based on common interests and a shared vision of the future.
