Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso Reengage with ECOWAS Talks
On October 18, 2026, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, three military-led countries, resumed talks with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after withdrawing from the bloc for over 18 months. The discussions aimed to create a “framework agreement” to guide future cooperation.
The three nations, governed by juntas that took power between 2020 and 2023, officially exited ECOWAS in January 2025 to form the Alliance of Sahel States. This meeting marked the first official ministerial-level dialogue since their exit.
Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, led the Alliance of Sahel States delegation, while Cheikh Niang, Senegal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, headed the ECOWAS team. A joint communique issued after the talks highlighted the spirit of fraternity and mutual respect, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cordial relations and respecting sovereignty.
Both parties agreed to establish joint thematic working groups to develop the cooperation framework.
Plus234Feed summary based on reporting from Naijanews. Read the original report below.
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