Foreign ministers of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) convened on Sunday in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital, to find common ground in implementing their impending departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), according to an official statement.
The meeting brought together Karamoko Jean Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation, and Burkinabè Abroad; Abdoulaye Diop, Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and Bakary Yaou Sangaré, Niger’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, and Nigeriens Abroad.
The foreign ministers lavished praise on each others’ heads of state for their “leadership, enlightened vision, and unwavering determination,” as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger transform the AES Confederation into “a space of sovereignty, peace, and shared prosperity for the benefit of their populations,” according to the statement.
The ministers also commended the “massive and spontaneous support” from the people of Africa for their vision that is reinforcing pan-African ideals reflected by the confederation’s actions. The statement noted that the ministers had reached a “consensus of views” on the overall approach to future negotiations with ECOWAS, prioritizing the well-being of their populations. However, no further details on the meeting’s conclusions were provided.
“At the end of their deliberations, the ministers expressed their gratitude to His Excellency Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso, for his leadership and commitment along with his counterparts from Mali and Niger to restore the dignity of the people of the Sahel,” the statement concluded.
“This withdrawal offers us an opportunity to achieve true fraternity without interference, a new pathway to real integration without manipulation or the domination of one country or people over others,” said Abdoulaye Diop, Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, during his opening remarks. Mali currently holds the rotating presidency of the AES Confederation.
General Assimi Goïta, President of the Alliance of Sahel States Confederation, announced last Thursday that a new common biometric passport for Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will be launched on January 29, 2025.
The three nations are scheduled to formally withdraw from ECOWAS on July 29, 2025.