Three military-ruled Sahel nations, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, resumed formal diplomatic dialogue with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday, October 17, 2026, agreeing to establish joint thematic working groups to draft a new cooperation “framework agreement.”
​The landmark ministerial meeting in Senegal’s capital marked the first official high-level engagement between ECOWAS and the junta-led Alliance of Sahel States (AES) since the three member nations formally withdrew from the 15-member regional bloc over 18 months ago, following their effective exit on January 29, 2025.
​The talks were held in Dakar, extending preliminary consultative discussions previously held in Bamako on May 22, 2025.
​The ministerial discussions featured high-ranking representatives from both blocs. ECOWAS Delegation Leader; Cheikh Niang, Senegal’s Minister of African Integration and Foreign Affairs, who serves as the President of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.
AES Delegation Leader; Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, heading the AES ministerial steering committee on behalf of the junta leadership.
Nigerian Delegation Leader, Amb. Sola Enikanolaiye, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, as confirmed by Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Oluwafemi Adeniyi.
​In a joint statement issued Saturday evening, officials confirmed that both delegations agreed to establish joint thematic working groups to structure a “balanced, realistic” general framework agreement.
​”Both sides welcomed the spirit of fraternity, mutual respect, and openness during the talks, highlighting the importance of maintaining relations of good neighborliness, respect for national sovereignty, and the well-being of West African populations.” According to ECOWAS-AES Joint Communiqué.
​The draft agreement aims to formalize future economic, diplomatic, and security relations before the upcoming full ECOWAS summit scheduled for December in Abuja, Nigeria.
​The three central Sahel nations severed ties with ECOWAS after military coups reshaped political leadership in Bamako (2020/2021), Ouagadougou (2022), and Niamey (2023). Tensions escalated sharply following ECOWAS economic sanctions, prompting the trio to pivot politically toward Moscow, form the Confederation of Sahel States, and formally announce their withdrawal.
​Despite the official separation on January 29, 2025, ECOWAS temporarily maintained community provisions, including visa-free travel and recognition of community passports, to prevent economic hardship for border populations and regional traders. Saturday’s agreement in Dakar creates a path to replace those temporary measures with a structured, long-term bilateral framework.
