By: Peneyambeko Jonas
Leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso met for a heads of state summit of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), marking a transition from crisis management to long-term state building.
Central to the summit was the official activation of the Confederal Investment and Development Bank (BCID-AES), capitalised at 500 billion CFA francs (about US$895 million). The bank is mandated to finance infrastructure, agriculture, energy, and other productive sectors across member states. Officials said the institution will operate without external loans or donor funding, relying instead on internal capitalization and project based returns.
Leaders also announced that AES Television, the bloc’s first confederal broadcaster. The channel is intended to strengthen regional communication and reclaim a space long dominated by foreign media.
Established in 2023 as a mutual defense pact, the AES has evolved into a confederation following its withdrawal from ECOWAS. The summit highlights a strategic focus on economic strength and institutional permanence as pillars of sovereignty.