Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger quit Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

RedAggroBest, 3 months ago

So while none of these countries primarily speak English (iirc) so the name will be different in French, I do find it Really Fuckin Funny that they proposed calling themselves the Alliance of Sahel States.

livus, 3 months ago

From the article:

Last year, they withdrew from an international force known as the G5 that was set up to fight Islamists in the Sahel region, forming their own so-called Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

ECOWAS said Sunday the three countries were "important members of the Community" and the bloc "remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse."

It added that it had "yet to receive any direct formal notification" from the countries about their withdrawal."

At a summit in Nigeria's capital Abuja in December, West African leaders demanded a "short" period of transition toward civilian rule in coup-hit Niger before they would ease economic sanctions on the country.

Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum was deposed in July 2023, and the junta said it would take three years to return to civilian rule.

In Mali's case, civilian rule was last in place before the first of two coups, in August 2020.

Burkina Faso's elected government was ousted in 2022. The country has not been put under sanctions and its current ruler, Captain Ibrahim Traore has allowed elections to take place this summer.

But Traore has said the fight against the insurgents remains the top priority.