On July 6, 2024, the military leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger signed a new defense pact called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) during a summit in Niger's capital. This pact, designed to support each other against rebellions and external threats, marks a bold move away from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which the three countries left in January 2024. The AES aims to reclaim national sovereignty and resist foreign control, signaling a significant shift in pow...