AES Countries Meet in Niamey to Forge Common Strategy on Ex-Combatant Reintegration

The surrender, demobilisation and reintegration of former combatants is at the heart of a major regional forum taking place in Niamey from May 19 to 21, bringing together delegates from the Alliance of Sahel States and friendly nations. The forum, hosted by Niger, has drawn delegations from fellow AES members Mali and Burkina Faso, as well as partner countries including Togo, Chad and Nigeria, to address the growing challenge of violent extremism and share experiences on disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration programmes for ex-combatants.

The opening ceremony was presided over by the Secretary General of Niger’s Ministry of Interior, Public Security and Territorial Administration, Police Commissioner General Ayouba Abdourahmane, in the presence of technical partners including the United Nations Development Programme. Speaking at the event, Abdourahmane hailed the forum as an important milestone for the AES in its quest for greater security for populations, more stability for institutions, and stronger determination in consolidating state sovereignty. He noted that the transregional nature of the security crisis demands coordinated and concerted responses, and that the Niamey forum serves precisely to harmonise approaches on surrender and reintegration across the confederal space.

Addressing the root causes of insecurity, the Secretary General identified two primary factors. The first is extremism within certain religious currents that exploit vulnerable populations. The second, he argued, is the use of mercenaries from various backgrounds by imperialist powers seeking to destabilise the Sahel region. He did not name specific countries but the accusation aligns with the rhetoric commonly used by AES military leaders, who have repeatedly accused Western powers of meddling in the region’s affairs while withdrawing from traditional alliances.

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The UNDP, which is serving as a technical partner for the forum, praised Niger’s leadership and its commitment to peace, stability and social cohesion. The UN agency advocated for an integrated approach, stressing that exclusively military responses, while necessary, cannot on their own guarantee lasting peace. The forum is therefore seen as an opportunity for the AES and its friends to exchange views and reach a common understanding of the challenges and approaches to disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants. Participants are expected to produce a framework for cooperation that balances military pressure with incentives for fighters to lay down their arms and return to civilian life.

The forum comes as the AES confederation, formed by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso after their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, continues to grapple with a decade long insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions. While all three countries have made territorial gains against jihadist groups in recent months, officials acknowledge that military victory alone is insufficient and that reintegrating former fighters remains a critical but deeply challenging component of long term stability.

The involvement of Togo, Chad and Nigeria, none of which are AES members, signals a pragmatic recognition that security challenges in the Sahel do not respect political boundaries and that regional cooperation remains essential. The forum concludes on May 21 with an expected joint communique outlining next steps for a coordinated DDR strategy within the AES confederation.

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