Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali Resume Talks with ECOWAS

Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have resumed their discussions with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), agreeing to establish joint working groups to prepare a framework agreement defining the cooperation between the two sides.

The resumption of these discussions comes at a time when the relationship between these three countries in the Sahel region and ECOWAS has been in political dispute for some time, after they decided to withdraw from the organization and form a separate alliance of their own.

Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali officially withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025, after forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which they see as a means to strengthen their unity and independence in their political decisions.

Discussions between ECOWAS and AES have been ongoing since January 2025, but the meeting that took place on Saturday was the first official ministerial-level meeting. This step indicates that both sides wish to continue their relationship, despite differing political views.

A joint statement issued on Saturday evening stated that both sides welcomed the spirit of brotherhood, mutual respect, and openness towards the discussions. They also emphasized the importance of maintaining good neighborly relations while respecting the independence of each country.

Both sides agreed to establish joint working groups, which will be tasked with discussing specific issues to prepare a framework agreement that will serve as the basis for future cooperation.

The planned agreement will be a step aimed at defining how ECOWAS and the three AES countries can work together, following a conflict that led to political estrangement. However, the joint statement did not mention a timeline for finalizing the agreement or the duration of the negotiations of the working groups.

The delegation of the Sahel Alliance was led by Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso, while the ECOWAS delegation was led by Cheikh Niang, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Senegal.