BURKINA FASO, MALI, NIGER FINALLY PULL OUT OF ECOWAS, FORM NEW CONFEDERATION
This page is supported by Shell Nigeria. Click here for more information
The military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger signed a new “confederation” treaty on Saturday after they convened for a maiden summit in the Nigerien capital, Niamey.
The heads of the three countries, who came to power through coups in recent years, “decided to take a step further towards greater integration between the member states” and “adopted a treaty establishing a confederation”, they said in a statement at the end of Saturday’s summit.
In January, the three countries severed ties with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing the bloc of being influenced by the West.
The “Confederation of Sahel States” uses the acronym AES and will have about 72 million people.
