According to report from Al Jazeera news. In a historic summit, the military leaders of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali have formed a new alliance, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), prioritizing their own interests over external directives. The meeting marked the first joint gathering of the coup leaders, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, Captain Ibrahim Traore, and Colonel Assimi Goita.
The AES aims to strengthen regional cooperation and security, with Goita emphasizing that an attack on one member state will be considered an attack on all. The move is seen as a response to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) suspending the three countries and imposing sanctions.
Tchiani criticized ECOWAS as a "threat" to their states, while Traore accused Western nations of exploitation. The summit coincided with an ECOWAS meeting in Nigeria, where efforts to mediate the countries' return to the bloc were discussed.
The creation of AES has "weakened" ECOWAS, according to political commentator Adama Gaye, highlighting the bloc's shortcomings in achieving regional integration and security. The summit also highlighted the shifting security dynamics in the region, with the US and France withdrawing troops and the Sahel states seeking closer ties with Russia. Despite this, violence remains rampant, with over 8,000 deaths in Burkina Faso in 2023 and ongoing struggles with armed groups in Niger and Mali.