Sahel States and ECOWAS Hold First Formal Ministerial Talks Since Split

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have resumed official dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), holding their first ministerial-level meeting since the three military-led states formally withdrew from the bloc in January 2025.

The talks, held Saturday in Dakar, Senegal, produced a joint commitment to establish joint thematic working groups tasked with drafting a framework cooperation agreement, according to a joint statement issued Saturday evening.

The two sides “welcomed the spirit of fraternity, mutual respect and openness” that characterized the discussions and stressed the importance of maintaining “good neighbourliness” with “respect for sovereignty,” the statement said.

The AES delegation was led by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, while the ECOWAS delegation was headed by Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Niang, whose country currently chairs the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

The three Sahel states—which formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after severing ties with ECOWAS—have turned away from former colonial power France and criticized regional governments they view as too close to Paris, including Benin and Côte d’Ivoire. They have instead deepened political ties with Russia, framing their stance as a commitment to sovereignty.

The working groups’ findings will be submitted to ministers before their next meeting, though no date or venue has been announced. The communique did not indicate whether the negotiations would lead to a reversal of the withdrawals or the restoration of the three countries’ ECOWAS membership.

The resumption of formal talks follows months of behind-the-scenes diplomacy. ECOWAS extended the mandate of its chief negotiator, Lansana Kouyaté, until December 2026 and insisted that negotiations with the three states proceed exclusively as a unified bloc, urging member states to refrain from separate bilateral deals that could weaken regional cohesion.

Ahead of the ministerial meeting, AES experts met in Ouagadougou in late June to harmonize positions. “The objective is to identify the confederation’s strategic interests, consolidate and harmonise our positions, while also preparing our arguments for the upcoming negotiation sessions with ECOWAS,” said Herman Toé, secretary-general of Burkina Faso’s foreign ministry.

The dialogue aims to protect cross-border trade, security cooperation and the free movement of people and goods, which have been strained by the three countries’ departure from the 15-nation bloc.