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The alliance formed last year by three junta-led West African nations — Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger — plan to launch a new passport.
Mali’s military head of state Assimi Goita said on Sunday that the passport for the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) members is aimed at “harmonizing travel documents in our common area.” Goita reportedly said it would be rolled out “in the coming days.” The passport announcement came as the AES countries marked the first anniversary of the alliance being formed.
The countries left West Africa’s economic bloc, Ecowas, earlier this year. Until their departure, citizens of the three nations held the same passport as the subregion’s 12 other members. Floating a passport marks another point of departure for the fledgling alliance, which left Ecowas after the bloc imposed sanctions as punishment for coups.
The new development comes as the United States, in a statement on Monday, confirmed the completion of its withdrawal from Niger.
— Alexander Onukwue in Lagos
