The AES
(Alliance des États du Sahel – Alliance of Sahel States)
THE HOPE OF AFRICA and THE WORLD
image: flag of the AES held by President Assimi Goïta and General Abdourahamane Tchiani
“I think it is necessary to believe that elevating the value of the Sahel States will definitely raise Africa`s value which will leverage the entire world”
– Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Burkina Faso Minister of Foreign affairs
by PD Lawton 1 Feb 2026
Timeline of the 3 coups which are the Restoration of what should always have been
Mali
Image: first President of Mali (1960-68), Modiba Keita, father of the nation , member of the Casablanco bloc who pushed for rapid economic industrialization of newly independent African States
Image: President Assimi Goïta of Mali
After the first Coup d`Etat in August 2020 showed signs of being derailed, a second coup successfully took complete control of the Malian government in 24 May 2021 led by General Assimi Goïta
Burkina Faso
Image: President of Burkina Faso (1983-1987) , the beloved Thomas Sankara
Blaise Compaoré was ousted in 2014 and later charged in absentia for complicity in the assassination of Thomas Sankara. That coup was derailed and Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was installed. On 24 January 2022 a military coup deposed him on the grounds of his inability to challenge the Jihadist insurgency. By September 2022, nearly 40 per cent of Burkina Faso was controlled by Jihadists. Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba led the new military government but failed to militarily challenge Jihadists. Eight months later he was replaced by Captain Ibrahim Traoré . Damiba is accused of plotting the latest assassination attempt on Traoré.
Image: Captain Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso,like Sankara, President Traoré is Le Gloire d`Afrique!
Niger
Image: General Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger
On 26 July 2023 General Abdourahamane Tchiani led a coup of the Nigerien government. He replaced the French puppet government.
All 3 countries prior to the military coups were under governments that were pro-Globalist- Western and French. The Globalist influence manifests itself under ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States).
The French name for ECOWAS is CEDEAO (Communauté Economique Des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest).
All 3 countries suffer from Islamic Jihadist insurgencies.
All 3 countries have expelled the French military presence and cut ties with France. French counter-terrorism under Operation Barkhane only served to strengthen Jihadist forces.
Current member states of ECOWAS are Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. The significant role players are Nigeria and Ghana. Guinea’s membership has been suspended since the military coup under Mamady Doumbouya in September 2021.
Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger renounced their memberships of ECOWAS.
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso all have excellent relations with Russia.
Mali and Burkina Faso attended the Russia-Africa Summit July 2023 which was highly successful, productive and genuinely optimistic.
Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and President of the Transitional Legislative Assembly of Burkina Faso Ousmane Bougouma. Image: State Duma
“We are convinced that Africa will become one of the leaders of the emerging new multipolar world order, as there are all objective prerequisites for that“. -President Valdimir Putin, March 2023
The second Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Summit was held in St Petersburg, Russia. The atmosphere generated by this event was unprecedented. Against the backdrop of NATO`s Ukrainian proxy war against Russia, and aimed ultimately at China`s BRI and the BRICS alliance, this summit embodied the spirit of our new multipolar world. Russia is imbuing African countries with a sense of optimism that their economies can and will be economically successful in the near future. Critical to that, is the production of electricity, for which Russia supplies the most advanced and reliable form, nuclear power.
Thanks to Russia, China, the BRICS alliance of which South Africa is a key founding member, African leadership`s indomitable determination to see their economies industrialized is becoming the reality of the 21st century.
President Putin announced at the Summit that Russia is cancelling $23 billion in African debt.
Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin and President of the National Transitional Council of the Republic of Mali. Malick Diaw. Image: State Duma
Key Changes Implemented by Ibrahim Traoré in Burkina Faso
Economic Reforms
Control over the nation`s Gold
Gold is Burkina Faso’s leading export product.
Creation of a State-Owned Mining Company: This company requires foreign firms to give a 15% stake in their operations and transfer skills to Burkinabé citizens.
Nationalization of Gold Mines: Traoré’s government has nationalized two gold mines and halted the export of unrefined gold . This aims to ensure that Burkina Faso benefits directly from its mineral wealth.
Establishment of a National Gold Refinery: A new gold refinery is being built, expected to process 150 tons of gold annually.
“Burkina Faso’s President, Ibrahim Traoré, laid the foundation stone for a national gold refinery on November 23, 2023. With an annual refining capacity of 150 tonnes, the facility, whose total cost has not been disclosed, will produce its first gold eleven months from now. The project is developed in partnership with Marena Gold, a local company.
The refinery will be the first in the country. It will house a jewellery store and the future headquarters of the Société Nationale des Substances Précieuses, which oversees the project on behalf of the State. The facility should create 100 direct jobs and over 5,000 indirect jobs, according to the authorities.
“We will no longer be refining our gold abroad but have it refined. And we will know what the real value of the raw gold that comes out of our mines is,” stressed President Traoré, in a speech read on his behalf by the Minister of Mines, Simon Pierre Boussim.”- Source
image: President Traoré lays the foundation stones for the gold refinery : source of photo: minesactuburkina
Mining sector: A gold refinery in 11 months’ time in Ouagadougou
Value Addition in Agriculture
Ibrahim Traoré has laid the groundwork for a Burkina Faso focused on value addition in agriculture.
Significant investments have been made in agriculture, including the establishment of a National Support Center for Artisanal Cotton Processing.
The country inaugurated its first tomato processing factories and opened a second cotton processing plant to complement the only existing one. A national center to support artisanal cotton processing was also launched—a first for local producers.
Image from West Africa Weekly
“BURKINA FASO – President Ibrahim Traoré officially launched a new tomato processing facility in Pognongo, located in the Yako department.
The plant, named Société Faso Tomates (SOFATO), represents a significant investment totaling US$8.9 million, funded by the Cooperative Society with Board of Directors “Building the Future” (SCOOP-CA/BA).
The new plant has the capacity to process 5 tons of tomatoes per hour to produce various tomato-based products.
Aziz Nignan, Chairman of SCOOP-CA/BA, shared that the facility aims to generate a turnover of US$11.2 million within its first year of operation.
The plant is set to begin marketing its products in January 2025.
This facility is part of a broader effort to enhance Burkina Faso’s tomato processing capabilities and reduce the country’s reliance on imported tomato paste.
The launch of the SOFATO plant follows the inauguration of a similar facility in Bobo-Dioulasso on November 30, which also has a processing capacity of 6 tons per hour for tomato concentrate.
These developments are expected to support local tomato production, which is already among the largest in West Africa.
In 2022, Burkina Faso harvested over 313,500 tonnes of tomatoes, ranking as the fourth largest producer in the region behind Nigeria, Ghana, and Niger.
Despite this, the country imported 23,600 tonnes of tomato puree worth more than US$8 million that year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
With these new investments, Burkina Faso aims to increase its domestic production capacity, creating a more sustainable supply chain for its growing processing industry.
The latest facilities are also expected to help the country better meet local demand for processed tomato products, while reducing its dependency on imports.”
Source:
“The impact is immediate and measurable on a human scale. The establishment of SOBTO has created a stable and profitable outlet for dozens of women suppliers in the region.
These producers, long vulnerable to the uncertainties of informal markets and price fluctuations, now see their incomes secured and their activities professionalized.
Their direct link with the processing unit provides unprecedented security and finally values their work at its true worth. This represents a profound social transformation through economics.
This dynamic reflects the core philosophy of the project of Captain Ibrahim Traoré: unlocking endogenous potential to break dependence on imports and extroverted economic models.”
Over the past two years, thousands of agricultural machines have been distributed—tractors, power tillers, water pumps, and motorbikes. The government facilitated access to improved seeds, resulting in significant increases in crop yields.
Tomato, millet, and rice production all grew between 2022 and 2024—a tangible sign of an agricultural policy focused on self-sufficiency and rural support.
Political and Social Changes
Shift in Foreign Alliances: Traoré has distanced Burkina Faso from France and ECOWAS, forming new alliances with Russia and Turkey, which includes military cooperation.
Rejection of Western Financial Aid: Traoré has turned down loans from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, promoting a vision of self-reliance, which is an assertion of economic sovereignty rarely seen in the region.
Infrastructure and Social Initiatives
Infrastructure Development: Plans include building a new airport and improving healthcare and social services.
The salaries of ministers and members of parliament were cut by 30%, while civil servants saw a 50% increase— a symbolic gesture that resonated deeply with the public. The state also began settling its domestic debt, providing relief to many local businesses.
Roads have been widened, newly constructed, or modernized—transforming gravel paths into paved roads better suited to the country’s mobility and development needs.
“Moreover, the modernization of roads plays a crucial role in enhancing Burkina Faso’s economic attractiveness. By improving connectivity, the country is becoming more accessible to investors, thereby encouraging job creation and the development of diverse economic activities.
In short, under Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s leadership, the road infrastructure policy reflects a clear and structured vision of national development. The vast program of 50,000 kilometers of roads by 2029 illustrates a strong ambition to sustainably transform Burkina Faso into a more connected, integrated, and prosperous nation. This colossal undertaking represents a true revolution for a country striving for modernity and progress.”
Burkina Faso: The Road Infrastructure Revolution under Captain Ibrahim Traoré
“The Burkina Faso government is prioritizing large-scale infrastructure development as a central pillar of its national development strategy.” Source:
Burkina Faso: Infrastructure, a strategic pillar of the country’s economic development.
Continued in Part 2 : Security Measures