AES Belongs to All Africans Fighting for Freedom, Sovereignty of their Countries– Captain Ibrahim Traoré

President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso has stressed that the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), founded by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso is open to all Africans committed to sovereignty, independence, and total freedom.

He stated this in his 2025 New Year address noting that the AES aims to become a strong union in diplomacy, defence, security, and development, serving as a model for African unity and self-determination.

It will be recalled that Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso rejected a proposal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for a six-month transition period before their withdrawal from the regional bloc.

The three nations reaffirmed their decision to exit ECOWAS by January 2025, viewing the proposed delay as an external “attempt at Destabilisation.”

The AES was established to consolidate development efforts among its member countries and to counter terrorist, insecurity and external subversions.

Despite their planned exit from ECOWAS, the AES countries have assured that their territories will remain visa-free for all ECOWAS citizens, seeking to minimise the impact on the bloc’s freedom of movement and common market, which serves over 400 million people.

The relationship between ECOWAS and the AES countries has been strained following series of military coups in the Sahel region since 2020, leading to the suspension of these nations from the bloc.

The AES countries have accused ECOWAS of imposing “inhumane and irresponsible” sanctions and failing to address their internal security crises effectively.

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Oluwasegun Sanusi

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