Ministers from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger convened in the Burkinabe capital on Thursday to explore the possibility of forming a confederation, signaling a potential shift towards closer regional integration.

The foreign ministers of the three nations expressed support for the creation of a confederation as part of a broader objective to unite the West African neighbors within a federation. 

This initiative gained momentum following discussions held in December in the Malian capital of Bamako.

Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, emphasized the potential benefits of establishing a common currency with Burkina Faso and Mali, framing it as a means to break free from what he termed “colonization.”

The meeting follows closely on the heels of the collective decision by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). These countries, which were founding members of the regional bloc in 1975, had faced suspension following military coups that ousted elected civilian governments.