The diaspora defends the Alliance of Sahel States

The Alliance is seeking a Pan-African federal state out of the confederation to eliminate colonial borders imposed on the region.

Around the world, African people are turning to Pan-Africanism to solve their problems and placing their hope in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The AES is a Pan-Africanist, anti-imperialist confederation made up of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, a trio of African states that ousted Western leaders through military coups d’état in recent years. The AES aspires to unite Africa in the vision of anti-colonial Pan-Africanist eaders, such as Burkina Faso’s Thomas Sankara (1949-87) and Mali’s Modibo Keïta (1915-77).

The US-based organisation, Black Alliance of Peace (@Blacks4Peace on X), organised a rally on 24 October in front of the Washington-based embassies of the three countries—as well as a march between each—to express their support for the alliance.

This mobilisation came amidst the International Month of Action Against AFRICOM, which the Black Alliance for Peace has organised every October since 2020 to shut down the US Africa Command (AFRICOM). AFRICOM has military-to-military relationships with 52 out of 54 African countries, with Egypt counted as under the purview of the US Central Command that occupies West Asia.

Niger is the first African country to expel AFRICOM forces and the three AES states have ended military collaboration with France, booting out French troops. They have also been taking back their resources. Burkina Faso has nationalised its gold mines. Niger revoked a uranium mining licence from the French company, Orano, and Mali accused Canadian mining company Barrick Gold of owing taxes and not complying with environmental and other commitments.

The three countries seek to form a Pan-African federal state out of the confederation to eliminate colonial borders imposed on the region.