Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have resumed formal discussions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), agreeing to work in the direction of establishing a framework for cooperation regardless of their withdrawal from the regional bloc.
The three Sahel international locations formally left ECOWAS in January 2025 after forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), amid rising disagreements with the bloc.
Saturday’s assembly, held in Dakar, is believed to be the primary official ministerial-level engagement between the 2 sides, though discussions had been ongoing since January 2025.
In a joint assertion issued on Saturday night, each side welcomed the discussions, citing fraternity, mutual respect and openness as guiding ideas. They additionally emphasised the significance of excellent neighbourly relations and respect for nationwide sovereignty.
The events agreed to determine joint thematic working teams to develop a framework cooperation settlement.
Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister, Karamoko Traore, led the AES delegation, whereas Senegal’s Foreign Minister, Cheikh Niang, headed the ECOWAS staff.
Insecurity throughout the Sahel
Across the AES international locations and different elements of the Sahel, armed teams proceed to hold out assaults and broaden in the direction of coastal West African international locations. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have battled jihadist insurgencies for greater than a decade, with al-Qaeda- and Islamic State-linked teams exploiting weak state presence, porous borders and native grievances.
In Mali, coordinated assaults on 25 April focused a number of areas, with the violence involving Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, and the Azawad Liberation Front, a separatist motion. The nation’s Defence Minister, Sadio Camara, was killed in the course of the assaults.
In Burkina Faso and Niger, armed teams have additionally sustained strain on safety forces and civilians, whereas violence has more and more threatened northern Benin and Togo.
Also, Nigeria, the biggest economic system within the area, faces overlapping safety threats, together with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgencies, banditry and mass kidnappings.
With armed teams working throughout borders, strained relations between Nigeria and the AES international locations danger weakening intelligence-sharing and joint counterterrorism operations. Niger’s withdrawal from the Multinational Joint Task Force in March 2025 gave a transparent implication of the collapsed regional cooperation.
The problem of regional cooperation
The AES international locations have pursued an unbiased safety and political course, distancing themselves from France and strengthening ties with Russia.
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Their withdrawal from ECOWAS has difficult regional cooperation, regardless of shared threats that require intelligence-sharing, efficient border controls and coordinated army responses.
The diplomatic disputes have additionally been fuelled by allegations from Sahelian leaders that neighbouring international locations and overseas powers are supporting armed teams. Such claims stay contested, and allegations shouldn’t be handled as established information with out independently verifiable proof.
It shouldn’t be but clear whether or not the renewed talks envisage the AES states returning to the regional bloc. If this isn’t a part of the agenda, it is going to be fascinating to see how ECOWAS, which has historically emphasised democratic governance, navigates diplomatic engagement with the junta-led international locations whereas addressing mounting safety threats throughout their shared borders.
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