Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to launch common passport under new alliance

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc that was established last September by the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, has announced that they will launch a common passport to enhance cooperation and security.

AES Chair and Mali's military leader, Colonel Assimi Goita, said in a TV address on Sunday that the alliance would soon launch a common biometric passport that will also facilitate the mobility of citizens across the three nations.

He spoke ahead of a meeting on Monday between the three countries' foreign ministers on the anniversary of the decision to form their own alliance.

Goita also said they were planning to launch a shared information channel "in order to promote a harmonious dissemination of information in our three states."

He made the statement to mark the one-year anniversary of the AES since its creation on September 16 last year.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the AES and announced the creation of a joint military force to counter spiralling security challenges posed in their countries by militants.

'Significant victories'

The three West African nations withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had threatened to intervene militarily in Niger following a coup in that country in July last year.

The three countries, with a combined population of 72 million, are affected by instability caused by militant groups.

In July this year, the three leaders held their first joint summit in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, where they announced the confederation of three Sahel states.

Highlighting joint "significant victories" against militants in the region, Goita said the AES was "open to discussion with international partners as well as sub-regional partners."

"This enhanced cooperation has helped to significantly weaken these groups, thus contributing to an improvement in security in the region," he added.