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TOPSHOT - The head of head of Niger's military government General Abdourahamane Tiani (C), Malian Colonel Assimi Goita (L) and Burkina Faso's Captain Ibrahim Traore (R) show the documents of the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) which they signed during their first summit in Niamey on July 6, 2024. The military leaders ruling Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger entered a new "confederation" on July 6, 2024 as they signed a treaty during their first summit in Niamey, after having severed ties with an existing West African bloc. The heads of the three countries, who took power through coups in recent years, "decided to take a step further towards greater integration between the member states" and "adopted a treaty establishing a confederation", they said in a statement at the end of the summit. The "Confederation of Sahel States", which will use the acronym AES, will group some 72 million people. The three countries in January said they were quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), an organisation they accused of being manipulated by France, their former colonial ruler. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)