Name: Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leaders meet at Alliance of Sahel States
Uploaded: 2025-12-23T17:54:32.038Z
Duration: 1 min 10 s
Description: The three heads of states gathered to discuss security and development in the second summit of the Alliance of Sahel States.

The three heads of states gathered to discuss security and development in the second summit of the Alliance of Sahel States.

Bamako

Leaders from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso met in Bamako for the second Alliance of Sahel States (AES) Summit to discuss strengthening regional cooperation and reducing dependency on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The summit addressed key issues such as defense, security, development, communication, and counter-terrorism across the three member states.

Ahead of the summit, the alliance announced the formation of a joint military force to combat terrorism in the region. The heads of state also launched a new television broadcaster aimed at countering disinformation and promoting the bloc's interests. A new president for the AES is expected to be named during the summit.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso leaders meet at Alliance of Sahel States

The Alliance of Sahel States is taking its next steps towards regional autonomy, with the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso holding high-level talks in Bamako. The second edition of the AES Summit aims to strengthen cooperation within the Alliance and reduce reliance on ECOWAS. It focuses on defence and security, development, communication and counter-terrorism efforts across the three states. Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso formed an alliance in 2023 and withdrew from ECOWAS last year. These moves followed fallout between all three countries and most of their western partners after a military coup. Ahead of the summit, the three states officially announced the creation of a joint military force to fight terrorism in the region. On Tuesday, heads of state Assimi Goita, Abdoulrahman Chani and Ibrahim Traoré also launched the Alliance of Sahel States TV broadcaster. The station has been described as a means to counter disinformation and promote the bloc's interests. After Malian leader Assimi Goita was appointed President of the Alliance at last year's summit, a new head of the AES is expected to be named in Bamako this week.

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