The military leader of Niger on Saturday said that the people of his country, along with neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, have “irrevocably turned their backs” on the West African bloc.
The three country’s leaders are taking part in the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), set up after pulling out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year.
“Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS,” Niger’s ruling General Abdourahamane Tiani told his fellow Sahel strongmen at the gathering’s opening in the Nigerien capital Niamey.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger set up the mutual defence pact in September, leaving the wider Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc in January.
Their ECOWAS exit was fuelled in part by their accusation that Paris was manipulating the bloc, and not providing enough support for anti-jihadist efforts.
“The AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism,” Tiani declared on Saturday, calling ECOWAS “conspicuous by its lack of involvement in this fight”.
The exit occurred as the trio distanced themselves from former colonial ruler France, with Tiani advocating for the new bloc to become a “community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers.”
All three nations have expelled anti-jihadist French troops, turning instead to their “sincere partners” — Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
Given the deadly jihadist violence these countries face, “the fight against terrorism” and the “consolidation of cooperation” will be key topics on Saturday’s agenda, according to the Burkinabe presidency.
ECOWAS is scheduled to hold a summit of its heads of state in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday, where the issue of relations with the AES will be discussed.
– Saturday’s summit –
After several bilateral meetings, the three Sahelian leaders are convening for the first time since they seized power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
In mid-May, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger agreed on a draft text in Niamey to establish the confederation, which the heads of state are expected to adopt at Saturday’s summit.
Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani first welcomed his Burkinabe counterpart, Ibrahim Traore, in the capital on Friday, followed by Malian Colonel Assimi Goita, who arrived on Saturday.
“Don’t expect many announcements, this is primarily a political event,” said Gilles Yabi, founder of the West African think tank Wathi.
“The aim is to show that this is a serious project with three committed heads of state showing their solidarity.”
In early March, the AES announced joint anti-jihadist efforts, though specifics were not provided.
Insurgents have carried out attacks for years in the vast “three borders” region between Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, despite the massive deployment of anti-jihadist forces.
The trio has made sovereignty a cornerstone of their governance and aim to create a common currency.
– ‘Path of no return’ –
Sunday’s summit follows recent calls from several West African presidents for renewed dialogue between the two camps.
Senegal’s new President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, suggested in late May that reconciliation between ECOWAS and the three Sahel countries was possible.
In June, Mauritania’s re-elected President, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, urged West African nations to reunite against the spread of jihadism.
However, the timing of these consecutive summits over the same weekend has raised concerns about a potential hardening of positions between AES and ECOWAS.
“I do not see the AES countries seeking to return to ECOWAS. I think it’s ECOWAS will have to tone it down (the situation),” Nigerien lawyer Djibril Abarchi told AFP.
While AES is currently an economic and defence cooperation body, its three member countries have repeatedly expressed their desire to go further.
At the end of June, Colonel Goita assured that cooperation within the AES had taken “a path of no return” during a visit to Ouagadougou, Burkina’s capital.
The potential creation of a new common currency would also mean leaving behind the CFA franc they currently share with neighbouring countries.
“Leaving a currency zone is not easy,” warned Yabi. “Any country can change its currency, but it takes a lot of time and requires a clear political choice as well as a technical and financial preparation process.”
Issoufou Kado, a Nigerien financial expert and political analyst, agreed: “They have to be very careful, because the mechanism takes time.”