The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—all countries dominated by the military—recommended on Friday the formation of a confederation as a means of eventually joining the neighboring countries of West Africa under a single federation.
When Niger’s military authorities overthrew elected president Mohamed Bazoum in July, Mali and Burkina, which are governed by juntas that took over in coups in 2020 and 2022, respectively, hurried to support them.
In order to establish stronger economic links and mutual defense support in the event that a member state’s sovereignty or territorial integrity is attacked, they formed the Alliance of Sahel States.
In a joint statement following a two-day meeting in Mali’s capital Bamako, the foreign ministers spoke of the “great potential for peace, stability, diplomatic strength and economic development that a strengthened political alliance offers”.
“The ministers… guided by the ambition to ultimately achieve a federation uniting Burkina, Mali and Niger recommend the creation of a confederation to the heads of state of the Alliance of Sahel States,” the statement said.
Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said the conclusions will be submitted to their heads of state, who are due to meet in Bamako at an unspecified date.
In response to international pressure for a prompt transition to civilian rule and the protracted jihadist insurgencies waging in the three countries, the military administrations have also forged strong connections.
At the Bamako summit, the ministers emphasized the need for development, defense, and diplomacy “to consolidate political and economic integration” as they worked to define the parameters of the new alliance.
The statement also stated that last month, the ministers of finance and economy of the participating nations suggested setting up an investment bank, a stabilization fund, and a commission to investigate the creation of an economic and monetary union.
