Colonel Assimi Goita, Mali’s military leader and Chair of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), announced plans for a new information channel aimed at ensuring “harmonious dissemination of information” among the member countries. The AES, a regional bloc formed last September by the military leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, is also preparing to introduce a common biometric passport to boost cooperation and ease movement between the three nations.
In a TV address on Sunday, Goita revealed that the new passport would facilitate easier travel for citizens across the member states. His remarks came ahead of a meeting scheduled for Monday to mark the anniversary of the AES’s formation.
Goita’s announcement coincided with the one-year anniversary of the AES’s establishment on September 16. The alliance, which was formed in response to escalating security challenges from militant groups, had previously withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after ECOWAS threatened military intervention in Niger following a coup in July of the previous year.
The AES, with a combined population of 72 million, also announced the creation of a joint military force to address the security issues in the region. The leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened their first joint summit in Niamey in July, where they formalized their confederation.
Highlighting the AES’s “significant victories” against militants, Goita emphasized that the alliance remains “open to discussion with international and sub-regional partners.” He noted that their enhanced cooperation has played a key role in weakening militant groups and improving regional security.
