The leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — General Assimi Goïta of Mali, Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso and General Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger — have condemned what they described as externally backed “attempts to destabilise” their countries, following the conclusion of their summit in Bamako.
In the final communiqué, which marked the handover of the Alliance’s rotating presidency from Mali to Burkina Faso, the three heads of state blamed “armed groups”, supported by “external and regional actors”, for these efforts. They stressed, however, that such attempts had “failed” in the face of solidarity among the three nations.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the “total eradication of terrorism”, while also denouncing what they termed “economic and media terrorism” and the “politicisation of international justice”, which they said were tools aimed at undermining their sovereignty and natural resources.
On the security front, they praised the success of joint military coordination and welcomed the effective deployment of the Alliance’s newly established joint force.
Economically, the presidents welcomed the creation of a joint investment bank and sovereign financing mechanisms, urging faster economic and customs integration, as well as the free movement of people and goods, to deliver tangible development gains for citizens.
Formed after the withdrawal of its members from previous regional frameworks, the Alliance reiterated its intention to build international partnerships that respect national sovereignty, while maintaining dialogue with the regional bloc ECOWAS.
