The military junta leaders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have formed the Sahel Alliance, a new regional bloc aimed at consolidating their union and challenging the authority of the West Africa regional bloc, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
This development comes after the three countries withdrew from ECOWAS in January, accusing the bloc of failing its mandate and being dictated to by foreign powers.
The Sahel Alliance summit in Niamey, Niger, saw the signing of agreements on security, non-aggression pacts, economics, and social domains.
The alliance aims to create a sovereign community of people, free from the influence of external powers.
This move is seen as a significant challenge to ECOWAS, which has been the top political authority in the region for nearly 50 years.
The division between the two blocs may further jeopardize regional efforts to curb the spread of violence across the Sahel region.
The Sahel Alliance is set to hold its parliamentary summit in Burkina Faso, with Mali taking the rotating presidency for one year.
The move is seen as a significant shift in the regional political landscape, with implications for the future of ECOWAS and the stability of the Sahel region.
