As junta leaders of the three-member Alliance of Sahel States meet in Niamey over the weekend, the main focus will be on tackling security threats posed by insurgents.
The military leader of Niger General Abdourahmane Tiani is hosting his counterparts of the same background from Burkina Faso and Mali for the first summit of the Sahel troika.
The three countries say they had formed this alliance known by its French acronym AES as a reaction to the existential threat posed by insurgencies and isolation from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas).
The AES is thus being born in the full light of history.
The three had announced earlier this year their decision to quit the regional bloc after it passed sanctions and threatened an invasion in reaction to the coups which brought the juntas in power in the three countries between 2020 and 2023.
Burkinabè military leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, arrived in Niamey on Friday afternoon to a warm welcome, while his Malian counterpart flew to the Nigerien capital on Saturday morning.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) was founded by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to address political crises and growing security threats from jihadists. These countries left the G5 Sahel and decided to take a new direction in the management of their security challenges, marking a desire to break away from French influence.
The creation of the AES also comes against the backdrop of simmering tensions with Ecowas. After the coup in Niger in July 2023, the regional bloc threatened to intervene militarily, prompting Mali and Burkina Faso to declare that such an intervention would be seen as a declaration of war on the three neighbours ruled by military juntas.
In response, the three countries left the community institution in January 2024. The AES aims to strengthen regional security by pooling military efforts and sharing intelligence to fight terrorism and crime.
It also aims to promote socio-economic development through cooperation on infrastructure, education and health projects, thus improving the living conditions of local populations. The alliance also seeks to harmonise policies and promote common democratic values to strengthen political stability in the region.
The withdrawal of the three countries from Ecowas and the creation of the AES mark a significant break with their previous policies, often influenced by France.
Relations with their former colonial power deteriorated after demands for the withdrawal of French troops and the end of MINUSMA in Mali.
At the same time, the three countries have approached Moscow for alternative military and strategic support.
In January 2024, Russia agreed to establish military cooperation with Niger, and Russian military personnel were deployed to Burkina Faso.
In May 2024, the AES Foreign Ministers finalised in Niamey a text governing the institutionalisation and operationalisation of the AES Confederation.
However, the AES faces economic and social challenges. Mali, for example, has an extreme poverty rate of 19.1% and relies heavily on agriculture and gold exports.
Burkina Faso faces severe food insecurity and a high poverty rate. Niger, despite projected economic growth of 11.2% for 2024, must overcome the consequences of the coup and manage high military spending.
MD/ac/fss/Sf/as/APA