DAKAR, Senegal — October 19, 2026 — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has published the final communiqué of the first ministerial session of its dialogue on cooperation with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), following a meeting held on October 17 in Dakar, Senegal.
The publication marks a diplomatic development in relations between ECOWAS and the three AES member countries: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
The ministerial dialogue comes amid continuing efforts to address relations between the West African regional organization and the Sahel alliance, particularly in areas affecting regional cooperation, economic activity and security.
Relations between ECOWAS and the AES have implications for cross-border trade, movement of people, regional transportation networks and coordination on security challenges across West Africa.
The final communiqué provides an official record of the ministerial session and is expected to serve as a reference for assessing the direction of future cooperation between the two organizations.
Although ECOWAS has confirmed it will publish the communiqué, the available briefing has not yet established its specific provisions, agreements, and proposed follow-up measures.
Further review of the official document is needed to determine the outcomes of the Dakar meeting and any commitments made by participating representatives.