Ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic plan to proceed with the establishment of a confederation, the Malian foreign ministry said on Thursday. This was as the three countries deepened ties via an alliance that threatened broader West African integration. All three were founding members of the regional bloc in 1975 but had been suspended following military coups that overthrew elected civilian governments. The procedures will “allow our alliance and the confederation to function efficiently and to the great joy” of the three countries’ populations, his Niger counterpart General Salifou Modi said. The juntas have all severed long-standing military ties with former colonial ruler France, dealing a blow to France’s influence in the Sahel and complicating international efforts to fight the militants linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.

Source: Punch February 16, 2024 17:34 UTC