By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, three West African countries run by military junta have concluded arrangements to form a confederation after severing ties with former colonial ruler, France and turned to Moscow for assistance to deal with internal security.
Heritage Times HT recalls that in response to their expulsion from regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) the trio on September 16, 2023, announced the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (Alliance des États du Sahel – AES).
It was also to serve as a defence pact against the threat by ECOWAS to intervene militarily and restore the ousted Mohamed Bazoum as the President of Niger if the junta failed to reinstate him as democratically elected leader.
The three countries in February this year made a formal announcement to permanently exit the regional bloc, accusing it of having ‘lost its way’.
In their statement, the three member states highlighted three major criticisms of the bloc. They cited that it had “drifted from the ideals of its founding fathers and the spirit of Pan-Africanism.”
They also alleged that the bloc was now “under the influence of foreign powers, betraying its founding principles, (and) has become a threat to member states and peoples.”
The group also accused ECOWAS of not supporting their fight against “terrorism and insecurity” and imposing “illegal, illegitimate, inhumane and irresponsible sanctions,” which have led to increased hardship and uncertainty in those states.
READ ALSO: US Forces To Finalize Pullout From Niger By September 15
They accused the bloc of being influenced by France.
At a meeting of their foreign ministers on Friday in Niger’s capital Niamey, discussion centered on drafting the text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)”, said Niger Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare as he read the final statement late Friday.
He said the text would be adopted by the heads of state of the three countries at a summit, without specifying the date.
“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has been born,” Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said after meeting General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Nigerien military regime.
The third foreign minister at the meeting was Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.
The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which they accused France of not being able to curb.
