Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Impose 0.5% Levy on Imports to Fund AES

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have introduced a 0.5% levy on imported goods to finance their newly formed Alliance of Sahel States (AES) after breaking away from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

In a statement released on Friday, the three nations confirmed that the levy takes immediate effect and applies to all imported goods except humanitarian aid.

The AES, established in 2023 as a security pact among the three military-led governments, has since expanded into an economic and political union. Plans for biometric passports, deeper military cooperation, and economic integration are already in motion.

The move ends free trade across West Africa, further deepening the rift between the Sahelian juntas and ECOWAS member states like Nigeria and Ghana. The three countries previously accused ECOWAS of failing to support them in combating Islamist insurgents, prompting their decision to exit the bloc last year.

ECOWAS had imposed sanctions on the juntas, aiming to pressure them into restoring civilian rule, but the restrictions had little impact.

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain among the poorest nations globally, struggling against worsening jihadist violence from groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS. The insurgency has killed thousands, displaced millions, and undermined trust in past democratic governments, paving the way for military takeovers in the region.