AES / ECOWAS: A decisive step towards regional security cooperation?

A major turning point appears to be emerging in the relationship between the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Meeting this Thursday in Bamako, the foreign ministers of the AES member countries and the President of the ECOWAS Commission agreed to open a new chapter of regional cooperation, with a priority focus on the fight against terrorism.

At the end of these high-level consultations, both parties adopted a Joint Statement outlining the upcoming launch of official negotiations between the AES Confederation and ECOWAS. This marks a strong signal of rapprochement, following a period of political and diplomatic tensions—particularly since Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger withdrew from the West African bloc.

The main focus of the renewed cooperation is security, a shared challenge for both blocs. The growing threat of terrorist groups in the Sahel region has compelled states to adopt a pragmatic approach based on the higher interest of their populations. The President of the ECOWAS Commission welcomed the initiative, emphasizing the need to “work together to address security challenges” in the West African region.

For their part, the AES authorities commended ECOWAS for its openness. While reaffirming their commitment to sovereignty, they stressed that regional cooperation is not incompatible with the pursuit of a new political model. Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs notably emphasized that “constructive dialogue and mutual respect” are the only ways to build lasting peace.