Highlights: AES: the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina from ECOWAS should benefit the Alliance of Sahel States. This structure was first created last September to fight against jihadist groups. But this alliance is also intended to be economic and political. We can imagine a strengthening of economic cooperation, especially a diplomatic alliance to form a real bloc and act as a counterweight to the other ECOWas states, believes Julien Antouly, researcher in international law. The AES was originally created as a defense pact: Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso had decided to pool their military resources.

AES: the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina from ECOWAS should benefit the Alliance of Sahel States

After the announcement, on Sunday January 28, of their departure from ECOWAS, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso should strengthen their cooperation within the AES, the Alliance of Sahel States. This structure was first created last September to fight against jihadist groups. But this alliance is also intended to be economic and political.

Supporters of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) wave their banner as they celebrate the announcement of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger leaving the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niamey on January 28, 2024. AFP - HAMA BOUREIMA

By: RFI Follow

The AES was originally created as a defense pact:

Mali

Niger

and

Burkina Faso

had decided to pool their military resources to fight rebel or jihadist groups. Then the three countries wanted to go further and found a real economic and political union. This was the subject of a meeting in Bamako at the end of November 2023.

Read alsoMeeting in Bamako to make the alliance of Sahel States a political and diplomatic coalition

The meeting then concluded with the stated desire to progress towards the establishment of a

federation bringing together Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso

After Sunday's announcement of their departure from ECOWAS, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso should strengthen their cooperation within the AES, the Alliance of Sahel States.

“

The AES is based on a treaty which forms a collective security alliance, that is to say its various members undertake to react in the event of aggression, or in the event of an attack, against one of the members. And today, we can imagine a strengthening of economic cooperation, especially a diplomatic alliance to form a real bloc and act as a counterweight to the other ECOWAS states,

believes Julien Antouly, researcher in international law, contacted by telephone by

Pierre Firtion

from the Africa editorial team.

We know that the signing of the charter creating the AES gave rise to several high-level diplomatic meetings.

However, to date, no information has been given on the institutions that will be implemented. We can also imagine that military cooperation, on the one hand, takes time to be implemented and, on the other hand, that certain dimensions of cooperation will not necessarily be announced in broad daylight.

Read alsoCédéao: the departure of Mali, Niger and Burkina comes after months of tension

AES: the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina from ECOWAS should benefit the Alliance of Sahel States

AES: the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina from ECOWAS should benefit the Alliance of Sahel States

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest