Sahel States Unite Against Imperialism in Inaugural Summit

The Alliance of Sahel States held its inaugural summit on Saturday, bringing together military leaders from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. This historic meeting follows the three countries' decision to end French and US military influence in their territory in recent months.

Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore emphasized the continent's struggles with imperialism, stating, "This continent has suffered and continues to suffer from the fires of imperialism. These imperialists have only one cliché in mind: 'Africa is the empire of slaves.'

The summit reaffirmed the Alliance's commitment to independence from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which they view as a puppet organization of Western powers. ECOWAS is scheduled to hold a summit in the coming days.

The mutual defense pact signed in Septemeber last year aims to strengthen regional cooperation against armed rebellion and external threats. The Alliance's charter pledges military assistance to any member state facing attack, emphasizing collective defense and solidarity.

The charter also prioritizes joint efforts to prevent and resolve armed rebellions. Notably, France has been forced to withdraw its troops from Mali and Burkina Faso in recent months.