Confederation of Sahel States: problems and prospects

This article analyzes the formation of a new regional association in West Africa – the Confederation (Alliance) of Sahel States, which includes Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The relevance of the topic is due to the change in regional dynamics and the erosion of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) that for many decades acted as a traditional integration model. The reasons for the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States and the challenges it has been facing are revealed. The transformation of “the Sahel trio” from an alliance towards the formation of a confederation is shown. The article presents various positions on the degree of further integration within this alliance: from the formation of a federal state to maintaining maximum autonomy of its member states. The prospects for the new integration project are explored against the background of ongoing political instability in the region, as well as the challenges posed by the protracted period of transit in the Sahel states.