Why did the three states form AES?

All three had experienced coups, faced ECOWAS sanctions and isolation, and sought alternative security partnerships outside of French and ECOWAS frameworks.

Does AES have its own currency?

Discussed but not implemented. The three states currently use the CFA franc; AES leaders have signaled intent to eventually exit the CFA zone.

Alliance of Sahel States (AES)

The Liptako-Gourma Charter signed in Bamako on 16 September 2023 established the Alliance of Sahel States (AES, French: Alliance des États du Sahel) as a mutual defense pact between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

The three states had all undergone military coups (Mali August 2020 and May 2021, Burkina Faso January and September 2022, Niger July 2023) and faced ECOWAS sanctions and isolation. The AES emerged as a coordinated response by these military governments to their regional isolation.

Institutional Development

The AES Treaty was signed in July 2024, transforming the alliance from a defensive pact into a confederation. Key elements:

Mutual defense provisions: an attack on one is an attack on all.
Coordination on regional issues: common positions in international forums.
Joint military force: planned but operational details still developing.
AES citizenship and joint passport: enabling free movement among member nationals.
Joint currency considerations: discussions of replacing the CFA franc (used by Mali and Burkina Faso, less so Niger).

Withdrawal from ECOWAS

The three states formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024 (effective January 2025). The withdrawal was the largest crisis in ECOWAS history and represented a fundamental rupture in West African regional integration.

Realignment of Security Relationships

The AES states have:

Expelled French troops: ending the Operation Barkhane French counter-terrorism presence.
Ended US military presence: terminating US drone operations from Agadez in Niger.
Ended security cooperation with the EU: dismantling European training and assistance programs.
Turned to Russia (including Wagner Group/Africa Corps): for security partnerships, training, and military support.

The security realignment is one of the most consequential shifts in African geopolitics in decades.

Why It Matters

The AES matters because:

It marks the collapse of the Western-led security architecture in the Sahel.
It demonstrates the ability of authoritarian governments to coordinate against regional norms.
It opens space for Russian influence in West Africa.
It complicates ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation against jihadist groups in the Sahel.
It signals broader fragmentation of African regional integration.

Real-World Examples

The September 2023 Liptako-Gourma Charter was the founding moment. The January 2024 ECOWAS withdrawal announcement marked the formal break with regional integration. The 2024 expulsion of remaining French and US forces completed the security realignment toward Russia.