The military-led government of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso is set to establish a confederation which signals deepening ties between these countries through an alliance known as Alliance of Sahel States (AES). This critical move is significant as it threatens broader West African integration especially now that the three countries have withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Since after the decision by these three Sahel nations to withdraw from ECOWAS, they have gone further to reaffirm their commitment to advancing the implementation of the AES and creating the Tri-State Confederation. However, specific details regarding how the confederation would function and the extent to which political, economic and security interests would align have not been shared to the public yet.
So far, the finance ministers of the three countries have discussed the possibility of establishing a monetary union, with indications of support for abandoning the CFA franc which is their common currency. Additionally, the severance of long-standing military ties with France by the juntas has also restricted France’s influence in the Sahel region which has in turn minimized the efforts of international communities in wielding their power in these three West African states.
This development is being seen as a significant geopolitical and economic shift in the Sahel region and the ripple effect may be seen in the stability and security of W
