Abuja's Olive Branch: ECOWAS Unlocks Millions to Reconnect with Sahel Alliance

In a landmark move during its 68th Ordinary Summit in December 2025, ECOWAS has signaled a strategic pivot from sanctions to solidarity. Facing a surge in extremist violence that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives this year, the regional bloc is actively seeking a security partnership with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) —comprising Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

To put teeth into this outreach, the Commission has authorized an emergency disbursement of $2.85 million per state for frontline countries—including Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo —to bolster counter-insurgency efforts. A central pillar of this new strategy is the rapid deployment of the Regional Counter-Terrorism Brigade , a specialized force designed to operate across borders. By emphasizing shared survival over political division, ECOWAS leaders are attempting to bridge the gap with the AES to form a unified front against a common enemy.