Niger Invites Rival Bloc to Join Alliance for Sahel States

Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine has urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to join the recently established Alliance for Sahel States (AES), which consists of three military-led governments within the regional bloc.

The request was made during a meeting of the African Development Bank (AfDB) board of governors in Nairobi, Kenya. Zeine emphasized the importance of sovereignty and dignity within the AES and expressed his belief that some ECOWAS countries would be interested in joining.

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger signed the AES charter in September, committing to mutual assistance in the face of external aggression or internal threats to their sovereignty. In January, the three countries announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS due to perceived infringements on their sovereignty.

The bloc has been working to persuade them to reconsider, and in February, economic and travel sanctions were lifted.