ECOWAS and AES prepare for high-level negotiations in Dakar

Diplomatic efforts are intensifying in West Africa as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—prepare for high-level negotiations in Dakar, Senegal. To ensure a unified front, AES foreign ministers recently met in Ouagadougou to harmonize their positions on key issues, including regional security, the free movement of people, and economic cooperation.

In a parallel development, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali are working to restore security cooperation following years of tension. A delegation led by Ivorian intelligence chief Vassiriki Traoré visited Bamako to facilitate information sharing and intelligence exchange aimed at combating jihadist insurgencies. This rapprochement seeks to leverage Ivorian expertise in counter-terrorism to bolster Malian security efforts.

ECOWAS Commission President General Birame Diop has emphasized the need for member states to provide a clear mandate to technical teams to defend community interests during the upcoming Dakar talks. The discussions aim to establish a framework for cooperation across 18 priority areas, despite existing political and institutional divergences between the two blocs.