Despite the lift of sanctions on Niger Republic, Mali, and Burkina Faso by ECOWAS in a bid to reconcile the three nations with the regional bloc, the trio refused to rejoin the sub regional bloc.

The trio have finalised plans to form a confederation marking a significant geopolitical shift in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.

The new project tagged the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), enforced the nations’ departure from their colonial ruler, France, and a turn towards closer ties with Russia.

The announcement was made after a meeting of the three nations’ foreign ministers in Niamey, Niger’s capital on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Bakary Sangare, Niger’s Foreign Minister, confirmed the finalisation of the draft text that outlines the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the AES.

“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States,” he said.

According to Sangare, the Head of State of the three countries will formally adopt the text at an upcoming summit whose exact date has not been specified.

“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States has been born,” declared Mali’s Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop.

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