Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, who was named Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in June, has called on the sub-regional economic bloc to forge "stronger partnership [with] the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)".
The military-led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger officially withdrew from ECOWAS earlier this year to form their own sub-regional grouping known as AES. Efforts to bring them back has so far stalled.
Bio, who concluded visits to Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Cape Verde and Senegal on Friday to strengthen regional collaboration on key challenges including fighting terrorism, said it was important for ECOWAS to work closely with the AES to overcome factors undermining peace and security in the region.
"[Bio] stressed the necessity of collective action to overcome challenges that impede economic integration and undermine peace and security in the subregion," a statement from the Sierra Leone Presidency stated on August 15, 2025.
The ECOWAS Chairperson also pledged to collaborate closely with fellow leaders to combat terrorism, enhance democratic governance, and invigorate intra-regional trade.
"The President also highlighted the urgency of bolstering cooperation with all ECOWAS members states, including those in political transition. Particularly, he emphasized forging stronger partnership between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)," according to the statement.
Last week, President Bio paid high-level visits to Togo, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire.
The Alliance of Sahel States began withdrawal from ECOWAS in September 2023 after accusing the bloc of not doing much to support their needs to effectively fight against Islamic insurgents in their various countries.
AES countries, which faced criticisms over human rights violations and over attempts at imposing lengthy terms of office, are also pursuing a "nationalist agenda" and have severed ties with western nations like France and the United States, and strengthen ties with Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
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