Defense ministers from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso are moving closer to launching a unified military force under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
On Friday, Niger’s President Abdourahamane Tiani met with the three ministers to finalize arrangements for the joint force, which aims to strengthen security cooperation among member states.
The talks come amid persistent jihadist attacks across the region and a worsening fuel crisis in Mali, raising concerns about spillover effects into Niger and Burkina Faso.
Leaders say the unified force is crucial to improving coordinated responses to growing security threats in the central Sahel.
