Alliance Of Sahel States
In short
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is a political and economic confederation formed by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. It began as a mutual defence pact between these three nations following recent military coups.
In plain words
Three neighbouring countries in Africa have joined together to help each other. They want to work as one team to protect their borders and grow their economies. They plan to share resources like energy, mines, and farming tools.
A simple example
If one member state is attacked, the others agree to provide military support. They also aim to let people move freely between their borders to trade goods.
Why it matters
This group challenges the influence of older organisations like ECOWAS in West Africa. It represents a major shift towards military-led governments seeking independence from traditional Western allies.
Easy to mix up
Do not confuse this with ECOWAS, which is a much larger regional group that the AES members have distanced themselves from.