04:18Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger military leaders signed a confederation treaty that aims to strengthen a mutual defence pact at the first summit of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) in Niamey on Saturday.
Nigerien General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore and Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goita signed the treaty 'towards greater integration' between the three countries, after severing ties with an existing West African bloc.
Tchiani said that the confederation treaty would enable nations to adopt the legal and institutional framework that would give substance and identity to AES.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS. It is now up to us to create the Alliance of Sahel States confederation, an alternative to any artificial regional grouping, by building a sovereign community of peoples," he added.
Meanwhile, Assimi Goita praised the nations' decision, saying that the alliance has been able to translate treaties and agreements into actions.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had imposed several sanctions on the AES countries after military coups that took power in the three countries.
The AES was established in September 2023, a few months before the military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their joint withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.
The three countries reportedly accused the organisation of being 'under the influence of foreign powers', as well as 'betraying its founding principles' and becoming 'a threat to its member states'.
'Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS' - Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger sign confederation treaty in AES first summit
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger military leaders signed a confederation treaty that aims to strengthen a mutual defence pact at the first summit of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) in Niamey on Saturday.
Nigerien General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore and Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goita signed the treaty 'towards greater integration' between the three countries, after severing ties with an existing West African bloc.
Tchiani said that the confederation treaty would enable nations to adopt the legal and institutional framework that would give substance and identity to AES.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS. It is now up to us to create the Alliance of Sahel States confederation, an alternative to any artificial regional grouping, by building a sovereign community of peoples," he added.
Meanwhile, Assimi Goita praised the nations' decision, saying that the alliance has been able to translate treaties and agreements into actions.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had imposed several sanctions on the AES countries after military coups that took power in the three countries.
The AES was established in September 2023, a few months before the military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their joint withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.
The three countries reportedly accused the organisation of being 'under the influence of foreign powers', as well as 'betraying its founding principles' and becoming 'a threat to its member states'.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger military leaders signed a confederation treaty that aims to strengthen a mutual defence pact at the first summit of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) in Niamey on Saturday.
Nigerien General Abdourahamane Tchiani, Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore and Mali’s Colonel Assimi Goita signed the treaty 'towards greater integration' between the three countries, after severing ties with an existing West African bloc.
Tchiani said that the confederation treaty would enable nations to adopt the legal and institutional framework that would give substance and identity to AES.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS. It is now up to us to create the Alliance of Sahel States confederation, an alternative to any artificial regional grouping, by building a sovereign community of peoples," he added.
Meanwhile, Assimi Goita praised the nations' decision, saying that the alliance has been able to translate treaties and agreements into actions.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had imposed several sanctions on the AES countries after military coups that took power in the three countries.
The AES was established in September 2023, a few months before the military regimes in power in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their joint withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January.
The three countries reportedly accused the organisation of being 'under the influence of foreign powers', as well as 'betraying its founding principles' and becoming 'a threat to its member states'.