Togo has issued a formal warning against the fragmentation of regional security, emphasizing that the stability of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is inextricably linked to the peace of West Africa as a whole.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, that any destabilization of the AES bloc—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—would have severe repercussions for the entire region. This position highlights a growing diplomatic conviction in Lomé that regional security must be viewed as indivisible to prevent a broader systemic collapse.
This warning coincides with an intensification of high-level diplomatic efforts aimed at maintaining dialogue between the AES, ECOWAS, and the African Union. Recently, the African Union Special Representative for Mali and the Sahel, Mamadou Tangara, held productive talks in Freetown with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government. President Bio reaffirmed a commitment to constructive dialogue on Sahelian security, following similar coordination meetings between the AU and the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja earlier this month.
The diplomatic push comes at a delicate time, as relations remain strained following the withdrawal of the three Sahelian nations from ECOWAS in January 2025 and their subsequent formation of the Confederation of Sahel States. Despite this institutional break, certain technical cooperation remains active through organizations like the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), where the AES countries maintain a specialized status.
Ultimately, Togo’s call for a unified security front reflects the urgent need for cross-border coordination. As West Africa undergoes significant institutional restructuring, the focus remains on preserving essential cooperation mechanisms to address the persistent security challenges that continue to ignore national and bloc boundaries.
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA