Sahel states 'irrevocably turned backs' on ECOWAS: Niger's leader
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The comments were made at the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States, established by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
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Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore (L) sit next to Niger's General Abdourahamane Tiani (R) upon his arrival in Niamey on July 5, 2024. (AFP)
Niger's military leader Abdourahamane Tiani made it clear on Saturday that the people of his country, along with neighbors Mali and Burkina Faso, have "irrevocably turned their backs" on the West African regional bloc.
The comments were made at the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), established by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after they withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year.
"Our people have irrevocably turned their backs on ECOWAS," stated Tiani to his fellow Sahel leaders, Burkina Faso's military-led President Ibrahim Traore and Malian Colonel Assimi Goita, who all came to power through coups between 2020 and 2023, at the gathering's opening in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
The three AES countries accuse ECOWAS of being manipulated by former colonial ruler France, with Tiani calling for the new bloc to become a "community far removed from the stranglehold of foreign powers."
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso's military leaders have all sought to reject French influence, expelling French troops from their countries and turning instead toward what they call their "sincere partners" -- Russia, Turkey, and Iran. They emphasize sovereignty as a guiding principle of their governance and aim to establish a common currency.
The trio also accuses ECOWAS of not doing enough to combat terrorist insurgencies, a recurring problem in the Sahel.
"The AES is the only effective sub-regional grouping in the fight against terrorism," Tiani stressed on Saturday, criticizing ECOWAS for its "conspicuous lack of involvement in this fight."
Relations between the trio and ECOWAS deteriorated significantly following the July 2023 coup which brought Tiani to power in Niger.
ECOWAS imposed heavy economic sanctions on Niger in response and threatened military intervention to restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum to power.
Although those sanctions were lifted in February, relations between the two sides remain strained.
ECOWAS is due to hold a summit of its heads of state in the Nigerian capital Abuja on Sunday, where the issue of relations with the AES will be on the agenda.
Read more: US forces to complete withdrawal from Niger's Air Base 101 Sunday
