Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have resumed formal discussions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), agreeing to establish a framework for cooperation despite their withdrawal from the regional bloc.
The discussions took place on Saturday in Dakar, Senegal, marking what is believed to be the first official ministerial-level meeting between ECOWAS and the three Sahelian countries since they formally left the organisation in January 2025.
The countries had withdrawn from ECOWAS after forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), following disagreements with the regional bloc.
In a joint statement issued after Saturday’s meeting, both sides welcomed the discussions and identified fraternity, mutual respect, openness, good neighbourly relations and respect for national sovereignty as guiding principles.
They also agreed to establish joint thematic working groups to develop a framework cooperation agreement.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Traore, led the AES delegation, while Senegal’s Foreign Minister, Cheikh Niang, headed the ECOWAS team.
The renewed diplomatic engagement comes amid persistent insecurity across the Sahel, where armed groups continue to attack security forces and civilians, with violence increasingly threatening coastal West African countries.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have battled jihadist insurgencies for more than a decade, with groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State exploiting weak state presence, porous borders and local grievances.
In Mali, coordinated attacks on April 25 targeted several locations. The violence involved Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, and the Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist movement. Mali’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed during the attacks.
Burkina Faso and Niger have also faced sustained attacks on security forces and civilians, while violence has increasingly threatened northern Benin and Togo.
Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including insurgencies by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as banditry and mass kidnappings.
The strained relations between Nigeria and the AES countries have raised concerns about intelligence-sharing and joint counterterrorism operations. Niger’s withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force in March 2025 further complicated regional security cooperation.
Since leaving ECOWAS, the AES countries have pursued an independent political and security agenda, distancing themselves from France and strengthening ties with Russia.
Their departure has complicated regional efforts to coordinate intelligence, secure borders and conduct joint military operations against armed groups operating across national boundaries.
Diplomatic tensions have also been fuelled by allegations from Sahelian leaders that neighbouring countries and foreign powers support armed groups. Such claims remain contested and require independently verifiable evidence.
It remains unclear whether the renewed talks could lead to the AES countries rejoining ECOWAS or whether the discussions will focus solely on cooperation while they remain outside the bloc.
The outcome could shape how ECOWAS engages with the three countries as the region confronts growing security threats and seeks to strengthen cross-border collaboration.
