The military heads of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger convened for the inaugural summit of the Confederation of the Sahel States (AES). The leaders emphasised territorial and popular sovereignty as core principles of their leadership through a new treaty. Concurrently, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is exploring strategies to persuade these nations to realign with the regional bloc.
Colonel Assimi Goïta of Mali, Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso and Niger’s General Abdourahamane Tiani met in Niamey, a day ahead of the summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), held on Sunday 7 July in Abuja.
The three Sahel leaders, who came to power through military coups between 2020 and 2023, said they wanted to take the Alliance, set up in September 2023, a step further by establishing it as a confederation.
The Confederation of the Sahel States, which will use the acronym AES, is headed by Mali in its first year. AES regroups 72 million people.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS," Niger's ruling General Abdourahamane Tiani told the cheering crowd attending the Niamey summit.
AES pulled out of ECOWAS in February 2024.
However, the ECOWAS leaders are intent on reconciliation. They chose Senegal’s President Faye – who said he wanted to break away from old alliances - to act as special envoy for Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, along with Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe.
“We cannot stand idly by,” said Faye.
He stressed that, on paper, the three Sahel states are still members of ECOWAS for another year, as per article 91 of the organisation.
"Our region is facing the risk of disintegration," said Omar Alieu Touray, the head of the ECOWAS commission.
But, the speeches made by the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina-Faso seem to indicate that they are done with ECOWAS.
House slaves
Captain Ibrahim Traoré sharply criticized what he termed "house slaves," a euphemism for African leaders he perceives as still under the influence or control of former colonial powers. Addressing an approving audience, Traoré stated:
"Imperialists view Africa as their dominion, believing they own our people, lands, and resources. Since the illusory independence granted to African nations in the 1960s, they've installed local proxies to maintain their control. We refer to these proxies as 'house slaves' - individuals whose sole aspiration is to emulate and serve their masters."
He also said that he does not understand why foreign powers refused to leave the three Sahel state when they have been asked to do, whilst each year claiming that Burkina, Mali and Niger are the poorest countries in the world.
“When we decided to break the chains, the house slaves brought the message of their masters to stop and comply.
“The people of Sahel will no longer be manipulated; we will not allow this anymore,” the Burkinabe leader said.
Traoré added that, on 26 July 2023, when Niger decided to move on, the “house slaves” and their masters were incandescent and decided to wage a war against the country.
“We then told them; whoever attacks Niger will have to contend with us. We’ll be ruthless against whoever attacks us,” he said.
After the July 2023 coup that brought Tiani to power, ECOWAS threatened to intervene militarily to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Terrorism
Tiani criticized ECOWAS for its perceived failure to protect citizens from terrorist threats. He asserted that the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is uniquely positioned to combat terrorism in the region, surpassing the capabilities of other regional or international bodies.
The AES has initiated a cross-border military force, leveraging each member state's strengths to counter jihadist activities. Seidik Abba, chairman of the International Center for Studies and Thoughts on the Sahel (CIRES), explained:
"The Sahel Alliance has adopted a more effective strategy against jihadist forces through joint military operations. Previously, militants could attack one country and retreat to another. Now, with shared intelligence and collaborative efforts, the three countries can capitalize on their combined strengths."
Economic cooperation
Colonel Assimi Goïta, Mali's military leader, reported that economic cooperation among the three Sahel states is progressing, with specific projects already outlined. He expressed gratitude to his Nigerien counterpart for providing crucial hydrocarbon assistance to Mali.
In April, Niger agreed to supply Mali with 150 million liters of hydrocarbons at approximately half the market rate. This arrangement aims to fuel Mali's power plants and alleviate frequent power outages.
Analyst Seidik Abba noted that the Niamey declaration appears to suggest the AES states' intention to establish a common currency to boost their economic development.
Goïta emphasised that the alliance between the three neighboring countries is fundamentally people-centric, promoting free movement across their territories. He said at the summit:
"We're moving beyond individual national identities. Instead of citizens of Mali, Burkina Faso, or Niger, we'll refer to ourselves as people of the AES. In this alliance, a Burkinabe or Nigerien will feel at home in Mali, and vice versa, without encountering administrative barriers."
