Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic junta chiefs to hold first summit Saturday

According to Nigerien authorities, the military rulers of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will convene their first combined conference on Saturday after taking over in a series of coups.

In a statement played on public radio, they declared, “Our country will be hosting the first summit of the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) heads of state from Burkina, Mali, and Niger on Saturday, July 6.”

Prior to the conference, Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso and Assimi Goita, the ruler of Mali, will be hosted by Abdourahamane Tiani, the leader of the junta in Niger, in Niamey starting on Friday, the source added.

On the eve of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) summit, they will meet.

The three countries announced their withdrawal from that major bloc in January and its remaining members have called for them to rejoin.

The AES is an economic and defense pact.

The three juntas are hostile toward their countries’ former colonial ruler France and other western countries and instead have turned to other partners such as Russia, Turkey and Iran.

In mid-May, the foreign ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger agreed in Niamey on a draft text creating the confederation, which the heads of states are expected to adopt at Saturday’s summit.

The three countries, which have faced deadly jihadist violence, also aim to create a common currency.