ECOWAS, Sahel Alliance Hold Talks in Dakar
The Facts
- Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger resumed formal talks with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday in Dakar, agreeing to establish joint working groups to develop a framework agreement on cooperation at their first ministerial-level session.
- Senegal's Foreign Minister Cheikh Niang, who chairs the ECOWAS Council of Ministers, and Burkina Faso's Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore co-chaired the session, whose working groups will report findings to ministers before the next meeting.
- The three countries announced their withdrawal in January 2024 over disputes involving military rule and sanctions they called "inhumane." Their exit took effect on Jan. 29, 2025, after they formed the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) in July 2024.
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The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Leaving ECOWAS has not resolved the Sahel's security crisis, as militants continue to threaten regional stability. Russian-backed campaigns have promoted military rule over democracy. Landlocked economies still depend on coastal ports and trade, making the Dakar dialogue vital. ECOWAS provides a framework for security cooperation, economic integration, and constitutional government that the region cannot easily replace.
Establishment-critical narrative
Sanctions and threats drove the Sahel states out of ECOWAS, and renewed talks don't mean surrendering sovereignty. With its own military force, investment bank, and passport, the AES can stand on its own and cooperate without rejoining. Freely chosen partnerships, including with Moscow, beat inherited dependencies that weakened local armies. Dakar was a negotiation between equals, not a return to the old order.
