Breaking News from the AES

The political, cultural, economic, and social achievements in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)

Two years since the transformation of the Alliance of Sahel States into the AES Confederation, the revolutionary project sweeping the Sahel continues to translate political sovereignty into tangible control over resources, institutions, and development policy. Marking the second anniversary on July 6, President Ibrahim Traoré described the Confederation as “a symbol of hope for an African renaissance,” highlighting the growing military cooperation, diplomatic coordination, and economic integration among member states. He emphasized the unity of the Sahelian people and the irreversible forward march of the Confederation’s integration, declaring that the AES is “an irreversible reality” rooted in the collective will of its people.

The AES has taken major steps toward institutional consolidation at the confederal level. A bill ratifying protocols regarding the legal unity of the Confederation was adopted, binding the three nations into a cohesive bloc. Senior officials met in Bamako to harmonize diplomatic positions in order to ensure the Confederation speaks with one voice on the international stage. This unity was further demonstrated in late June, when Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger officially initiated their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, denouncing it as a “tool of neocolonial repression.” The ICC’s record of selective justice against Africans while ignoring the crimes of the West has long been indefensible. The AES states have already announced their intention to establish a Sahel Criminal and Human Rights Court, grounded in local realities and free from imperialist influence.

On June 26th, Burkina Faso took the decisive step of severing diplomatic relations with France, directly accusing its former colonial ruler of “blatant neo-colonial ambitions” and “active support for subversive networks and terrorists.” Long overdue, the rupture is a concrete expression of Burkina Faso’s determination to resist imperialist machinations and definitively break free from French political and military control. Alongside this European rupture, Mali has been building African bridges, normalizing relations with Algeria through the mutual reopening of airspace and reinstatement of ambassadors after a tense period of diplomatic friction.

Burkina Faso has led the way in building economic self-reliance. The Patriotic Loan diaspora bond campaign mobilized 151.5 billion CFA francs, far exceeding the 125 billion target, with funds directed toward the Bagré Aval hydroelectric plant and an agro-industrial free zone designed to process agricultural raw materials locally rather than exporting them for foreign value addition. Complementing the diaspora bonds, Burkina Faso has established a new mineral-backed sovereign fund called Sinyan-Sigui, funded by surplus mining revenues generated when global mineral prices rise above state-set targets. With gold production surging to 94 tons in 2025 and mining revenues exceeding 776 billion CFA francs, this fund ensures that the nation’s underground wealth is transformed into lasting infrastructure for its people, rather than being siphoned off by foreign capital.

Niger has struck a decisive blow against corruption with a new penal code introducing life imprisonment for embezzlement above 200 million CFA francs and the death penalty for cases exceeding one billion CFA francs. This is a crucial development in the struggle against internal enemies who directly deprive the people of resources essential for development, ensuring that the nation’s wealth serves its people rather than opportunistic elites. Meanwhile, Burkina Faso has been building the legal and institutional framework for civilian nuclear energy, adopting the Vienna Convention on Nuclear Liability and signing fresh memoranda of understanding with Russia’s Rosatom, paving the way for nuclear infrastructure that will break the chains of energy dependence and power the nation’s industrialization.

Burkina Faso has moved to regulate the humanitarian sector, requiring all NGOs to obtain government accreditation and banning the filming or photography of vulnerable populations without their consent, a direct assault on the “poverty porn” industry that has long profited from depicting Africans as helpless victims. The government has also established an elite academy for cutting-edge technologies to train the next generation of scientists and engineers in strategic sectors, while expanding its “Vacances Utiles” (Useful Holidays) program to provide technical and vocational training for youth during school breaks. Additionally, Burkina Faso now requires government approval for study abroad, a measure aimed at preventing brain drain and ensuring that human capital serves national development rather than enriching foreign economies.

These material developments are grounded in simultaneous drives toward ideological clarity. On April 26, President Traore launched the 52 page Manifesto of the Popular Progressive Revolution, a document that outlines the revolution’s vision across six pillars including defense, economic progress, cultural rearmament, and governance. Launched with the Prime Ministers of Mali and Niger in attendance, the manifesto is being translated into national languages and Braille to ensure every Burkinabe can engage with the revolutionary project.

Mali has held strong and advanced decisively, securing major victories on both the battlefield and in the economic sphere despite ongoing enemy attacks. Between July 4-9, Malian forces alongside Russia’s Africa Corps dealt a devastating blow to terrorist networks in the Anefis region, neutralizing over 2,000 assailants and eliminating key leaders of JNIM and the Azawad Liberation Front. The coordinated response across five locations demonstrated the strength and resolve that has come to define Mali’s defense under the five-year leadership of President Assimi Goïta. While facing great battlefield pressure, Mali has steadfastly managed to make advances toward economic and digital sovereignty by regaining majority control of SOTELMA, the national telecommunications company, 17 years after its privatization. Through a $277 million agreement, the state increased its stake from 49% to 56%, reclaiming a strategic asset with 8.5 million subscribers that underpins the country’s digital economy and communications infrastructure.

Two years on, the AES Confederation stands as an irreversible reality and an inspiration to all African peoples. The path forward is clear: unity, sovereignty, and dignity are not negotiable.

Long live the AES Confederation!

Forward to one united socialist Africa!

Homeland or Death, we will prevail!