New Sahel Alliance Defies World Powers, Vows Own Path

Leaders from three West African nations have formed a new bloc, declaring a historic break from foreign influence. The heads of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger met for the first summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). They pledged to unite against security threats and boost economic independence. A key theme was resistance to what they called external pressures from international partners and former colonial powers. The summit focused on concrete plans. Top priorities include creating a joint security force to fight armed groups and projects to connect their economies. The alliance signals a major political shift. All three nations are ruled by militaries that seized power in recent years. They have already expelled French forces and left the regional bloc ECOWAS. Analysts see the meeting as a step toward a federation, as mentioned in the treaty. The leaders stated their ultimate goal is "the construction of a sovereign community free from foreign influence."