date_range
Sunday 08 Sep 2024
LOCAL EDITION
close
LOCAL EDITION
Niger's Junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani reacts as his counterparts Mali's Assimi Goita and Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore stand during the first summit of heads of state and governments of the Alliance of Sahel States in Niamey, Niger. (Photo/Reuters)
The military leaders ruling Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger entered a new "confederation" Saturday as they signed a treaty during their first summit in Niamey, after having severed ties with an existing West African bloc.
The heads of the three countries, who took power through coups in recent years, "decided to take a step further towards greater integration between the member states" and "adopted a treaty establishing a confederation", they said in a statement at the end of Saturday's summit.
The "Confederation of Sahel States", which will use the acronym AES, will group some 72 million people.
The three countries in January said they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organisation they accused of being manipulated by France, their former colonial ruler.
The three countries have all broken their military and defence links with France, seeking greater cooperation with Russia.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their back on ECOWAS," said General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Niger's military government as he opened the summit.
The military leaders ruling Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger entered a new "confederation" Saturday as they signed a treaty during their first summit in Niamey, after having severed ties with an existing West African bloc.
The heads of the three countries, who took power through coups in recent years, "decided to take a step further towards greater integration between the member states" and "adopted a treaty establishing a confederation", they said in a statement at the end of Saturday's summit.
The "Confederation of Sahel States", which will use the acronym AES, will group some 72 million people.
The three countries in January said they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organisation they accused of being manipulated by France, their former colonial ruler.
The three countries have all broken their military and defence links with France, seeking greater cooperation with Russia.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their back on ECOWAS," said General Abdourahamane Tiani, the head of Niger's military government as he opened the summit.
___
Source: TRT
