The authorities of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have agreed on the “final formula” of the plan to form a confederation of African Sahel countries, according to the French “AFP” agency.

The foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced the final touches to the draft treaty establishing a confederation of Sahel countries.

Following the meeting, Nigerien Foreign Minister Bakary Yaw Sangari confirmed that the final text would be approved at the summit of the heads of military governments of the three countries. Sangari did not specify the date of the meeting.

The agency confirmed that journalists were not informed of the content of the agreement.

This meeting is considered the second of its kind for the foreign ministers of the Sahel countries, and comes as part of the preparations for holding a summit of leaders of the Sahel coalition countries in the coming days.

On January 28, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In September 2023, the leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed a charter to create a coalition of Sahel countries. According to the charter, infringement on the sovereignty or territorial integrity of one of the participating countries will be considered an aggression against the entire coalition and requires collective military intervention.

Mali's Defense Minister Abdallah Diop told reporters, "This alliance will be a combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries."

Source: AFP