Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Form New Regional Alliance

• Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger plan a confederation, distancing from France and seeking closer ties with Russia, announced in Niamey
• The new Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States aims to replace ECOWAS, citing undue French influence and ineffective jihadist response

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all governed by military juntas, have finalized plans to form a new confederation, distancing themselves from their former colonial ruler France and seeking closer ties with Russia.

On Friday, the foreign ministers of the three countries met in Niamey, Niger’s capital, to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare announced, “The objective was to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).” He noted that the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a forthcoming summit, although no specific date was given.

“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born,” said Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop after meeting General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Niger’s military regime. Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore also attended the meeting as the third foreign minister.

The Sahel region, plagued by years of deadly jihadist violence, has criticized France for failing to curb the violence. In January, the three countries quit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), citing undue French influence, and expressed their intention to create their regional grouping. They described this move as a “sovereign decision.”

The joint statement, broadcast on state media in all three countries, declared that ECOWAS had “drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.” The statement accused ECOWAS of becoming a threat to its member states under the influence of foreign powers and failing to address jihadist violence effectively.

Relations between ECOWAS and the three countries have been strained following military coups in Niger (July 2023), Burkina Faso (2022), and Mali (2020). ECOWAS has called for a return to civilian rule in these nations and has lifted almost all sanctions imposed on them as part of efforts to reintegrate them into the regional bloc.