West African Military States Sign Historic Confederation Treaty

Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, led by military rulers, signed a confederation treaty to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This treaty marks their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), aiming to assert national sovereignty and tackle security threats amidst ongoing Islamist insurgencies.

Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, three West African countries led by military regimes, signed a confederation treaty on Saturday. This bold move underscores their resolve to forge a united path outside the regional economic bloc ECOWAS, which has urged them to return to democracy.

The treaty was signed during the inaugural summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), emphasizing closer cooperation among these insurgency-ridden central Sahel nations. The military juntas that seized power in 2020-2023 have cut military and diplomatic ties with regional partners and Western nations. General Abdourahamane Tiani, Niger's military leader, called the AES summit a 'culmination of our determined common will to reclaim our national sovereignty'.

Formalizing the confederation treaty signifies a substantial departure from ECOWAS, which had hoped to dissuade the three nations from exiting the bloc at its upcoming summit. Tiani stated, 'Our peoples have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS.' The new alliance aims to create a community free from foreign control. However, questions remain about how closely the AES will integrate political, economic, and defense policies as it battles a decade-long Islamist insurgency and strives to grow some of the world's poorest economies.

(With inputs from agencies.)