On April 18, 2026, during the AES-ECOWAS summit in Lomé, Togo, President of the National Commission of the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) for Burkina Faso, Bassolma Bazié set the record straight. His intervention was fiery and strongly contrasted the AES with the ECOWAS/CEDEAO bloc. He reacted to current political tensions in West Africa, while delivering a forceful political address in Lomé. He spoke in defense of the AES, and made a call for African sovereignty. His speech was a call to action, and at the same time a summary of the progress Burkina Faso and the AES countries have made on their own. I felt proud to be African!

He detailed some of the progress Burkina Faso has seen between 1960 to 2022 when it was ‘independent and democratic’ and ruled by the Western puppets, and since 2023 under the ‘junta’. The progress in 3 years is amazing, should be applauded and copied by all. Burkina Faso which never had air force bases, now has at least 4. Every citizen is happy to join in the effort of liberating their country. There were months when doctors and nurses who did not protest and understood the dire situation facing their countries did not receive pay; the President of the Faso, once the money came in, paid all the arrears. Burkina Faso saw its very first renal transplant operation last month; a first since forever! All citizens contributed, from their savings and salaries, over $2 billion to the cause of their country. Now that they are owners of their own destinies, they can do transactions without passing through the French slave currency FCFA, which gives them freedom to bargain with other countries and choose partners.

Here are some of the points President of the National Commission of the AES, Bassolma Bazié covered:

• Assertion of Sovereignty : Bazié emphasizes that the AES countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) are reclaiming their autonomy and refusing external interference. He said “they [the West] will no longer impose leaders upon us, our raw materials will serve our people” [“On ne va plus nous imposer des dirigeants, nos matieres premieres vont servir a nos peuples…“]. AES countries should control their own resources, define their own political systems, choose their own partners, and reject “tutelage” from former colonial powers.
• Critique of ECOWAS (CEDEAO) : He argues that ECOWAS has drifted from its original mission established by its founding fathers, and now acts against the interests of its own member states. It has become an instrument of foreign powers, which imposes sanctions that harm African populations, and interferes in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
• Defense of the Sahel Alliance : He presents the AES as a necessary response to security, political, and economic challenges, positioning it as a more authentic and people‑centered alternative. As you know, before the Alliance reclaimed its lands and its territories, the foreign forces and interventions had utterly miserably failed. Bazié says that sovereignty is not negotiable, even under pressure. Now, the Sahel countries have been fighting alone and faced terrorism financed by the same foreigners. The AES is building a new security architecture whose foundation is the cooperation between the 3 countries. He
• Call for African Unity : Despite criticizing ECOWAS leadership, he calls for solidarity among African nations and urges them to rethink their alliances, to be really sovereign and to use their resources for their own people. Unity must be horizontal, not imposed. African institutions must serve African peoples, not external agendas. The AES is open to cooperation with other African states, but cooperation must be based on respect and equality.
• Reaction to International Pressure : He denounces what he sees as foreign manipulation and insists that Sahel countries must define their own path.