IN
a significant move towards regional unity, the foreign ministers of
military-ruled Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have recommended the creation of a confederation as part of a broader effort to unite these West African neighbours within a federation. The proposal comes in the wake of Mali and Burkina Faso, both ruled by juntas that seized power in coups in 2020 and 2022, rushing to support Niger’s military rulers after they ousted elected president Mohamed Bazoum in July.
This alliance, known as the Alliance of Sahel States, was formed to establish closer economic ties and mutual defence assistance, particularly if the sovereignty or territorial integrity of any member is threatened. Following a two-day meeting in Mali’s capital, Bamako, the foreign ministers issued a joint statement highlighting the ‘great potential for peace, stability, diplomatic strength, and economic development’ that a strengthened political alliance could offer.
‘The ministers, guided by the ambition to ultimately achieve a federation uniting Burkina, Mali,
and Niger, recommend the creation of a confederation to the heads of state of the Alliance of Sahel States,’ the statement asserted. Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop disclosed that these conclusions would be presented to their respective heads of state, scheduled to convene in Bamako at an unspecified date.
Amidst international pressure for a swift return to civilian rule and ongoing insurgencies in the region, the military regimes of these nations have formed close ties. The recent Bamako meeting aimed to flesh out the workings of the new alliance, with an emphasis on diplomacy, defence, and development ‘to consolidate political and economic integration.’
Economic and finance ministers of the three countries had previously recommended the establishment of a stabilisation fund, an investment bank, and a committee to study an economic and monetary union, further underlining the commitment to regional cooperation and stability.
(with AFP)
