Military leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have signed a confederation treaty aimed at strengthening mutual defense ties and moving towards greater integration. This comes as the three countries have shifted away from traditional regional and Western allies, pulling out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier this year.
During a summit in Niamey, the leaders denounced ECOWAS as a threat and accused foreign powers of exploiting their resources. The strengthened relationship between the countries means an attack on one is seen as an attack on all members.
This move has weakened ECOWAS, according to political commentators, who have criticized the bloc for not performing well in achieving regional integration and ensuring security in the region. Western governments, including France and the US, have also withdrawn troops from the region, leaving the countries to look for new security and economic partners, including Russia.
Despite these shifts in alliances, violence and instability continue to plague the countries, with thousands of people killed and millions displaced. The United States is completing its withdrawal from military bases in Niger, raising concerns about the ability of the new military leaders to effectively combat armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Efforts to bridge the rift between the three countries and ECOWAS have so far been unsuccessful, with uncertainty about the path forward for regional cooperation and security in the Sahel region.
Source
Photo credit www.aljazeera.com
Military leaders from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso sign new pact, reject ECOWAS in joint statement | Conflict News
