Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, now united under the Alliance of Sahel States, have introduced a 0.5% levy on all goods imported from beyond their borders, effective immediately as of Friday’s agreement.
This bold step, excluding humanitarian aid, aims to finance their burgeoning three-state union, formed in 2023 as a security pact and now expanding into an economic and military bloc.
The military-led governments, having ditched the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) last year, cite the bloc’s failure to aid their battle against Islamist insurgents tied to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
While specifics on fund usage remain vague, the levy signals the end of West Africa’s free trade under ECOWAS, deepening the divide with regional giants like Nigeria and Ghana.
The move comes amid a decade-long insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and fueled distrust in democracy across these impoverished nations.
With plans for biometric passports and tighter cooperation, the Sahel trio is carving a distinct path, despite ECOWAS sanctions aimed at restoring constitutional rule proving largely ineffective.
