ECOWAS On The Brink As Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso Float Confederation of Sahel States

By Prince Kurupati

July 5 just became one of the many special days in the political history of Africa as it was the day that the continent welcomed yet another regional pact in the form of the Confederation of Sahel States. The Confederation of Sahel States is a pact of three countries namely Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Three countries which are all currently under military rule.

The first Summit of the Confederation of Sahel States which will use the acronym AES took place in Niamey, Niger. It officially marked the divorce between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the trio of the junta-led countries – Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

Addressing all those who had gathered to witness the momentous occasion in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, Niger’s ruling General Abdourahamane Tchiani said the formation of the AES is a testament to how “Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS”.

In a statement released at the end of the Summit, the AES will be headquartered in Mali in its first year and its chairmanship will be rotational. The statement added saying the formation of the AES is a step which fosters “greater integration” among the three countries.

In an ‘X’ post, Burkina Faso leader Capt. Ibrahim Traore said, “This summit marks a decisive step for the future of our common space. Together, we will consolidate the foundations of our true independence, a guarantee of true peace and sustainable development through the creation of the ‘Alliance of Sahel States’ Confederation… The AES is full of enormous natural potential which, if properly exploited, will guarantee a better future for the people of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.”

As the three countries in recent times have criticized ECOWAS for being a stooge of the French hence their ultimate decision to pull out, the AES stated that from now on, it “is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism.” He said ECOWAS’ reluctant stance in fighting the ever-rising jihadist problem is rather “conspicuous” and added, “We are going to create an AES of the peoples, instead of an ECOWAS whose directives and instructions are dictated to it by powers that are foreign to Africa.”

Demonstrating how the three countries want nothing to do with their former colonial power, General Tchiani said the AES is a “community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers.” Since cutting ties with France, in the process, expelling anti-jihadi French troops, the trio have instead turned towards “sincere partners,” namely Russia, Turkey and Iran.

The formation of the AES comes on the eve of the ECOWAS heads of state in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, where the emergence of the AES is going to be the main agenda. Publicly, there is already discord as to how the grouping should respond to the AES. While some countries like Nigeria have been critical of the junta governments, others like the newly elected Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye and the reelected Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani are calling for unity in the fight against the expansion of jihadism.

The fight against the expansion of jihadism in the Sahel is something of extreme importance as according to a report by Mark A. Green, president of the Wilson Center, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, the Sahel accounts for 43 per cent of the world’s terrorism deaths, more than South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region combined.

Commenting on the formation of the AES, Gilles Yabi, the founder of the West African think tank Wathi said the AES needs to be taken seriously as its formation demonstrates the commitment that Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso strongmen have.

Apart from talking about the political and security topics, the junta leaders during the AES Summit agreed to mutualize their approach to strategic sectors such as agriculture, water, energy and transport. Calls were also made for indigenous languages to be prioritized in local media. The burning question of whether a common currency to replace the CFA franc is in the offing wasn’t discussed.