In an effort to strengthened their security the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have endorsed plans to create a federation uniting of the three West African countries.
The three countries currently ruled by their militaries, announced their decision in a joint statement published on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, following a two-day meeting in Mali’s capital, Bamako, focusing on plans to develop the new Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
According to the statement, the goal is tackling common challenges.
SaharaReporters had reported that the military rulers of the three former French colonies signed the AES charter in September, agreeing to help each other in the event of external aggression or internal threats to their sovereignty.
The states were previously members of the Paris-backed G5 Sahel agreement, along with Chad and Mauritania. The G5 accord has since fallen apart, following a series of military coups in the region.
The foreign ministers of the three Sahel nations held their first meeting from Thursday to Friday and agreed on “appropriate measures,” including protocols to implement the AES pact.
“The Ministers recommended encouraging the participation of elected representatives, women, young people and civil society in AES initiatives,” according to the joint statement.
They further stressed the importance of diplomacy and defense in expanding their political and economic integration.
