AES and Togo Discuss Customs Reform and Regional Trade Integration

West Africa WeeklyOctober 6, 20251 Mins read1.2k

The member states of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, held talks with Togo on October 3 to advance plans for modernising and harmonising their customs information systems. The discussions, which took place in Bamako, were announced in a statement by the Malian government’s press service.

The meeting brought together Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maïga, representatives of the customs services of the three AES countries, and Philippe Tchodié, Commissioner General of the Togolese Revenue Office. Officials discussed strategies to improve the efficiency of customs duties collection, enhance cross-border cooperation, and establish preferential tariffs within the AES region.

According to the statement, the Bamako session also focused on drafting a Community Customs Code and developing a Common External Tariff for the AES bloc. These initiatives are part of broader efforts to strengthen the alliance’s economic integration and streamline trade among member states.

Prime Minister Maïga commended the participating countries for their commitment to reforming the customs sector and emphasised its importance in combating terrorism and transnational crimeacross the Sahel. He also thanked Togo for its support and cooperation in facilitating regional commerce.

The talks mark another step in the AES’s efforts to build institutional and economic frameworks following their withdrawal from ECOWAS earlier this year. The alliance, formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has sought to deepen collaboration in security, governance, and economic policy, with Togo emerging as a key regional partner.