The military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have announced the launch of a new common passport, which will come into effect on January 29.
This marks the date the three countries formally exit the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a decision they made after severing ties with the regional bloc last year.
The three nations, which have experienced military coups between 2020 and 2023, formed the Confederation of Sahel States (AES) as a political and security alliance.
This move comes after they criticized ECOWAS for being overly influenced by France and failing to adequately support their fight against jihadist insurgencies.
The AES passports will replace the ECOWAS travel documents, although current ECOWAS passports will remain valid until their expiration dates.
However, citizens of the three countries can exchange their old ECOWAS passports for the new AES ones.
The three countries also announced plans to collaborate on creating a 5,000-member unit to combat growing jihadist violence in the region.
Since taking power, the juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have shifted their alliances, distancing themselves from France and seeking closer ties with Russia and other new partners.
