Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, all under junta rule, have finalized plans to establish a confederation, distancing themselves from their former colonial power, France, and instead seeking closer ties with Russia.
Gathering in Niamey, Niger’s capital, the foreign ministers of the three nations convened to formalize the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States.
“The objective was to finalize the draft text relating to the institutionalization and operationalization of the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States,” stated Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare, delivering the concluding remarks.
He further mentioned that the text would undergo adoption by the heads of state of the three countries during an upcoming summit, though the exact date remained unspecified.
“We can consider very clearly, today, that the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States has been born,” affirmed Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop following discussions with General Abdourahamane Tiani, the leader of Niger’s military regime.
Completing the trio of foreign ministers at the meeting was Burkina Faso’s Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.
This move comes against the backdrop of persistent jihadist violence plaguing the Sahel region, which the nations have criticized France for failing to adequately address.
In a previous declaration late January, the three countries announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, citing its perceived alignment with French interests, with intentions to form their own regional bloc.