By Austin Ogwuda
DESPITE ECOWA’s magnanimity in lifting sanctions imposed against them, the Heads of State of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have decided to dump ECOWAS finally to form The Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Their Foreign Ministers met Friday in Niger’s capital Niamey to agree on a text establishing the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
According to report reaching The Townhall, Military-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have finalised plans to form a Confederation after turning their backs on former colonial ruler France to seek closer ties with Russia.
After the crucial meeting, Niger Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, while reading the final statement late Friday said the objective of the meeting was to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
“The objective was to finalise the draft text relating to the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)”, said Sangare as he read the final statement late Friday.
He said the text would be adopted by the Heads of State of the three countries at a summit, without specifying the exact date.
The Sahel region has been subject to deadly jihadist violence for years, which they accused France of not being able to curb.
The three countries said late January they were quitting The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they said was under French influence to create their own regional grouping.
*Credit: Punch
