The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is a formal coalition formed in 2023 by the military-led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. It emerged after a series of coups in the region fueled by public anger over weak governance, corruption, and uncontrolled Islamist insurgencies.
The new regimes have expelled French military forces from the Sahel territory. Recently, they announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS, and instead aim to strengthen ties with non-Western partners such as Russia, Turkey, and the Wagner Group.