Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger finalize plans to form Confederation after quitting ECOWAS

Military-run Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have finalized plans to form a confederation after turning their backs on former colonial ruler France to seek closer ties with Russia.

The foreign ministers of the three countries met in Niger’s capital Niamey on Friday to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

According to Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, the objective of the meeting was to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop stated that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born, following a meeting with General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Niger’s military regime.

The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which the three countries have accused France of not being able to curb.

In January, the three countries announced that they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they claimed was under French influence, to create their own regional grouping.

The text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) will be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a summit, although a date has not been specified.

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