The decision was made at the first summit of the three countries’ heads of state in Niamey on July 6, 2024.
Mali’s Transitional President, Colonel Malik Diaw, announced the plans during a visit to Burkina Faso on Thursday. He emphasized the importance of a confederation parliament to enact laws with a regional focus.
“We are now discussing the confederation treaty, and soon the parliament of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) will become a reality,” Diaw said. He praised the leadership of the three nations in driving this initiative.
Diaw also met with Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traoré to discuss strengthening parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
The three nations have faced increasing instability and have been accused of authoritarianism. Diaw addressed these concerns, stating that the Sahel countries are united against destabilization efforts.
“Desperate destabilization projects are being contemplated, but they will find the peoples of the ESA standing as one before them,” he declared.
The foundation for this confederation was laid in 2023 with the ratification of the Liptako Gourma Charter, establishing the AES.