In a significant geopolitical shift, ECOWAS has lifted sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, aiming to reconcile the three nations with the regional bloc after their announced withdrawal. This development comes as the trio finalizes plans to form a confederation, marking a notable transformation within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
The new alliance, named the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), signals a departure from their colonial ties with France and a pivot towards closer relations with Russia. The announcement was made following a meeting of the foreign ministers of the three nations in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Friday, May 17, 2024.
Niger's Foreign Minister, Bakary Sangare, confirmed the completion of a draft text outlining the institutional and operational framework of the AES. “The objective was to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States,” Sangare stated.
According to Sangare, the heads of state from the three countries will formally adopt the text at an upcoming summit, the date of which remains unspecified. Mali’s Foreign Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, declared, “We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States has been born.”
The creation of the AES underscores the determination of these Sahel nations, currently under military rule, to sever ties with ECOWAS. The regional bloc had been striving to reintegrate the trio after their decision to exit on January 28, 2024, citing that ECOWAS had strayed from the ideals of its founding fathers and pan-Africanism.
This decision followed months of sanctions imposed by ECOWAS on Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after the overthrow of their democratically elected governments. However, in February 2024, ECOWAS lifted the sanctions following the intervention of Nigeria's former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon.
The formation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States represents a new chapter for these nations, as they chart a course towards a different regional alignment and international partnerships.
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