AES firmly rejects European Parliament resolution on Niger
The Confederation of Sahel States (AES) reacted vehemently on Thursday to the European Parliament’s adoption of a resolution concerning the situation of former Nigerien president Mohamed Bazoum. In a scathing statement, the Sahelian organization expressed its “deep indignation” over what it considers unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Adopted on March 12, 2026, by the European institution, the resolution addresses, among other issues, the detention conditions of Mohamed Bazoum, who was overthrown in the 2023 coup in Niger.
For the AES, this text constitutes a “serious, concerted and deliberate interference” reflecting a persistent desire by certain foreign powers to dictate their law to Sahelian countries.
In its declaration, the Confederation also denounced the “inopportune and malicious selectivity” of the European Parliament.
The organization accused the institution of demonstrating variable-geometry indignation, overlooking other violations of international law and the chronic security crisis affecting the Sahel region.
Such a posture, according to the AES, reveals a biased and instrumentalized vision of human rights.
Further in the text, the Confederation stated that this resolution is part of a broader logic aimed at preserving “unacknowledged economic and geostrategic interests,” deeply linked to a “bygone colonial past.”
The AES believes that the initiators of this document are actually seeking to restore a system of influence that no longer corresponds to the legitimate aspirations of Sahelian populations, now resolutely oriented toward sovereignty and emancipation.
The Sahelian organization firmly reminded that it accepts “neither injunctions nor lessons in governance” from any foreign institution whatsoever.
It invited European actors to refocus their attention on their own internal challenges; economic crises, social tensions, political fragilities instead of positioning themselves as censors of the choices made sovereignly by the peoples of the Sahel.
By publishing this declaration, the AES reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the principle of non-interference and the sovereignty of the Confederation’s member states.
This media statement also demonstrated the determination of Sahelian authorities to no longer tolerate any attempt at destabilization or external control, thus consolidating the break with the tutelage inherited from the past.
Neil CAMARA
