Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) have agreed to establish joint thematic working groups as they seek to develop a framework for cooperation following the Sahel bloc’s withdrawal from the regional organization.
The agreement was reached on October 17, 2026, during the first ministerial meeting of the ECOWAS-AES Cooperation Dialogue in Dakar, Senegal, where the two sides held discussions aimed at laying the foundations for future relations.
The ECOWAS delegation was led by Senegal’s Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad, Cheikh Niang, who chairs the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. The AES delegation was headed by Burkina Faso’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, who chairs the confederation’s Ministerial Steering Committee.
The meeting was co-chaired by the two delegation leaders.
In a joint communiqué issued after the discussions, both sides said the proposed working groups would conduct technical consultations towards an eventual framework cooperation agreement between ECOWAS and the AES.
The outcomes of these consultations will be submitted to the ministers for consideration before their next session. The date and venue of that meeting will be determined through diplomatic consultations.
Seeking Common Ground
The two delegations welcomed what they described as an atmosphere of fraternity, mutual respect and openness during their discussions, while reaffirming the historical, sociocultural and economic ties connecting West African populations.
They agreed that relations between the two organizations should be guided by good-neighbourliness and respect for sovereignty, dignity and the well-being of West African citizens.
The discussions also built on consultations held on May 22, 2025, in Bamako, Mali, during which the parties began exploring possible areas of common interest.
Both sides expressed their determination to establish a balanced and realistic framework of cooperation that protects the interests of their respective populations.
A New Phase In Regional Relations
The meeting represents a further step in efforts to maintain dialogue between ECOWAS and the AES, which comprises Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The three Sahelian countries formally withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025 after prolonged disagreements with the regional bloc, particularly over sanctions, political transitions and the handling of military-led governments.
Their departure created new challenges for regional integration, including the movement of people and goods, trade, security cooperation and cross-border relations.
Although the Dakar meeting did not announce a final cooperation agreement, the decision to establish joint working groups provides a mechanism for examining shared interests and preparing proposals for ministerial consideration.
The communiqué did not specify the precise sectors to be covered by the working groups or set a deadline for concluding the proposed framework agreement.
The two parties thanked Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the Senegalese government and the people of Senegal for their hospitality and continued commitment to West African integration.
Faye is the current chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
The communiqué was signed in Dakar on October 17, 2026, with the French, English and Portuguese versions declared equally authoritative.
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