Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso broke away from ECOWAS last year and formed Alliance of Sahel States

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a regional bloc that was established last September by the military leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, announced Sunday that they will launch a common passport to enhance cooperation and security.

AES Chair and Mali’s junta leader Col. Assimi Goita said in a TV address that the alliance would soon launch a common biometric passport that will also facilitate the mobility of citizens across the three nations.

He made the statement to mark the one-year anniversary of the AES since its creation on Sept. 16 last year.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the AES and announced the creation of a joint military force to counter spiraling security challenges posed in their countries by terrorist groups.

The three West African nations withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had threatened to intervene militarily in Niger following a coup in that country in July last year.

The three countries, with a combined population of 72 million, are affected by instability caused by militant groups.

In July this year, the leaders of the three military regimes held their first joint summit in the Nigerien capital of Niamey, where they announced the confederation of three Sahel states.

Highlighting joint “significant victories” against terrorist groups in the region, Goita said the AES was “open to discussion with international partners as well as sub-regional partners.”

“This enhanced cooperation has helped to significantly weaken these (terror) groups, thus contributing to an improvement in security in the region, he added.

Goita said the AES will also launch a common TV station.