Overview

• The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the West African Economic Community (ECOWAS) was finalized after a year-long process.
• The three nations, governed by military juntas, have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to pursue shared security, economic, and infrastructure goals.
• The AES views ECOWAS as a tool of former colonial powers, particularly France, and seeks to position itself as an anti-Western bloc with closer ties to Russia.
• The departure shrinks ECOWAS by over half its geographic area and raises concerns about regional economic and security cooperation, particularly in border zones.
• Millions of migrant workers from the three countries face uncertainty as new trade and travel restrictions may emerge between AES and ECOWAS nations.