DAKAR — Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have resumed talks with West Africa’s regional bloc ECOWAS, agreeing to establish joint working groups to prepare a framework agreement outlining future cooperation.
The discussions mark a renewed effort to ease tensions between the three Sahel countries and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), following their withdrawal from the bloc amid political disagreements.
The three countries formally left ECOWAS in January 2025 after forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation they say is intended to strengthen regional solidarity and protect their political sovereignty.
Talks between ECOWAS and the AES have continued since January 2025, but Saturday’s meeting was the first formal ministerial-level session, signalling a willingness on both sides to maintain dialogue despite persistent differences.
In a joint statement issued late Saturday, the two sides welcomed what they described as a spirit of fraternity, mutual respect and openness during the discussions. They also stressed the importance of preserving good neighbourly relations while respecting each country’s sovereignty.
The agreed working groups will address specific issues and prepare a framework agreement intended to serve as the basis for future cooperation between the regional bloc and the three Sahel states.
The renewed engagement comes as ECOWAS seeks to maintain regional coordination following the departure of the three countries, which have increasingly pursued a separate political and security partnership through the AES.
