Mahama promises to forward concerns of Alliance of Sahel States to ECOWAS

President Mahama has promised his Burkinabe counterpart, Ibrahim Traore that the concerns of members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) will be forwarded to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for redress.

He said, AES and ECOWAS cannot afford not to collaborate.

President Mahama said this when he undertook a reciprocal visit to Burkina Faso on March 10.

“We discussed the issue of AES and ECOWAS and I’ve got new perspectives about the concerns that the three countries have in respect of their relations with ECOWAS. I have assured Mr President that the next meeting of ECOWAS, I would pass on what they have explained to me to the other leaders,” he said during a post discussion press briefing in Burkina Faso.

President Mahama attributed the current stalemate between the two bodies to lack of trust.

“I think there is a breakdown of trust among the leadership and it would take time rebuild it, but we have to resptore trust and confidence with each other, so that we can work together even if we are not part of the same regional body,” he stated.

The AES which is a confederation formed between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. ^{It originated as a mutual defense pact created on 16 September 2023 following the 2023 Nigerien crisis, in which the West African political bloc ECOWAS threatened to intervene militarily to restore civilian rule after a coup in Niger earlier that year.}

^{All three member states are former members of ECOWAS and currently under the control of juntas following a string of successful coups, the 2021 Malian coup d’état, the September 2022 Burkina Faso coup d’état, and the 2023 Nigerien coup d’état The confederation was established on 6 July 2024.}

Ibrahim Traore was among many African Heads of State who participated in the inaugural ceremony of President Mahama on January 7.

President Mahama explained that the visit was to thank his Burkinabe counterpart and apprise himself of their concerns.