Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have started using the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) passport. This is a big step toward regional independence. The president of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, was the first to get this new passport on January 31, 2025. This was just a few days after the three countries officially left the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The AES passport shows the countries’ commitment to working together and being self-sufficient, with the goal of allowing people to move around the region more freely. While people still can use their ECOWAS passports, the new AES document shows a shift toward reducing dependence on other countries and encouraging unity among the member states. As the AES countries create their own path, there are still questions about how this will affect regional relations and economic connections. ECOWAS has said that it is open to talking about these issues, which suggests that the story of West African cooperation is far from over.
