Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger To Roll Out AES Passports From January 29

Junta-led allies Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced that their Confederation of Sahel States (AES) passports will be available from January 29, 2025, marking their official departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Naija News reports that the announcement was made by Malian junta chief and current AES president, General Assimi Goita, in a statement broadcast on state television.

The AES passports will replace ECOWAS passports for citizens of the three nations. However, Goita assured that existing passports bearing the ECOWAS logo will remain valid until their expiration.

“Citizens of the AES confederation who hold old passports bearing the ECOWAS logo may have them replaced by new AES passports,” the statement said.

This development comes a year after the three countries declared their withdrawal from ECOWAS on January 28, 2024. The move became effective under ECOWAS rules on January 29, 2025.

The juntas, which took power in coups between 2020 and 2023, accused ECOWAS of being subservient to former colonial power France and failing to address jihadist violence in the Sahel.

In addition to the new passport system, the AES announced plans to establish a 5,000-strong joint military force to combat the jihadist insurgency plaguing the region.

Since their respective coups, the three nations have distanced themselves from France, aligning politically and militarily with Russia and other partners.