The creation of Alliance of Sahel States (AES) prevented the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) intervention in Niger, the country's Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine says.
"The resolute position of the participants of the [ECOWAS] association did not allow the militant plans that some ECOWAS States were hatching to come true," Zeine said at the joint press conference, held by prime ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger.
Malian Prime Minister, Choguel Maiga noted that "the peoples of West Africa along the middle course of the Niger River have been proud of the traditions of state unification since the time of the Songhai Empire [a medieval state on the territory of modern Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger]."
"They fought together for independence against a common enemy. Now they had to stand together to defend Niger, where the armed forces took power in their hands to end corruption that permeated all strata of society with impunity. ECOWAS has imposed illegal, unfair, inhumane sanctions against Niger, which, if they are not rebuffed, will be directed against us," Maiga went on to say.
At the end of July in Niger, the country's President Mohamed Bazoum was ousted and arrested as a result of a military coup. To govern the country, the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland was formed, headed by the commander of the Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani.
The leaders of the ECOWAS member countries imposed sanctions against Niger and threatened military intervention if the rebels did not reinstate Bazoum.
The authorities of Burkina Faso and Mali stated that they intend to consider any military intervention in Niger a declaration of war against them. They promised to "take self-defense measures in support of the armed forces and the people of Niger."
On September 16, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger signed a charter on the creation of the AES, a collective defense organization in a key area of the region.