# West Africa: Ecowas, AES Move to Salvage Trade and Security Ties

> ECOWAS and AES form joint teams to negotiate trade and security cooperation after three nations exit.
- Title: West Africa: Ecowas, AES Move to Salvage Trade and Security…
- Summary: ECOWAS and AES form joint teams to negotiate trade and security cooperation after three nations exit. ECOWAS and AES agreed to joint working groups to…
- Keywords: ecowas, aes, burkina faso, mali, niger, west africa, trade, security, news, world, politics, West
- Source: Allafrica — https://allafrica.com/stories/202610190106.html
- Published: 2026-10-19T08:50:28+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: ecowas, aes, burkina faso, mali, niger, west africa, trade, security, news, world, politics
## ECOWAS and AES agree to joint working groups
ECOWAS and AES agreed to establish joint working groups to negotiate a cooperation deal for cross-border trade, security collaboration and regional ties.

> The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) have agreed to establish joint working groups to negotiate a cooperation deal, in a move to protect cross-border trade, security collaboration and other regional ties strained by the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS.
## Joint meeting in Dakar
The agreement was reached on Saturday in Dakar, Senegal, at the first ministerial meeting of the ECOWAS-AES Dialogue on Cooperation.

> The agreement was reached on Saturday in Dakar, Senegal, at the first ministerial meeting of the ECOWAS-AES Dialogue on Cooperation
## Working groups to examine common interests
The working groups will examine areas of common interest with findings submitted to ministers for consideration before the next session.

> The parties said the working groups would examine areas of common interest, with their findings to be submitted to the ministers for consideration before the next session.
## Three countries withdrew from ECOWAS
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025, after disputes over military rule, sanctions and constitutional government.

> Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their intention to leave the bloc in January 2024 after prolonged disputes with ECOWAS over military rule, sanctions and demands for a return to constitutional government.
## Sahelian countries formed AES
The three countries consolidated their regional arrangement into the Confederation of Sahel States in July 2024.

> The three countries subsequently consolidated their separate regional arrangement, established initially as the Alliance of Sahel States, into the Confederation of Sahel States in July 2024.
## Security implications
The Sahel faces militant violence and armed groups moving across porous borders, complicating regional security coordination.

> The security implications are also significant. The Sahel continues to face militant violence, while the movement of armed groups across porous borders makes coordination among neighbouring countries an important regional concern.
## No reversal of withdrawals
The working groups will not reverse the withdrawals or restore ECOWAS membership for Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

> The Dakar communiqu\e, however, did not specify whether trade, border management or security would be the first priorities of the working groups. Nor did it indicate that the negotiations would lead to the reversal of the withdrawals or the restoration of the three countries' ECOWAS membership.
## Key takeaway

ECOWAS and AES agreed to joint working groups to negotiate a cooperation deal after Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS.