The military-led governments of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have introduced a 0.5% levy on imported goods to finance their newly formed three-state union, following their departure from the regional bloc ECOWAS.
The Alliance of Sahel States, originally established in 2023 as a security pact, has expanded into an economic initiative with plans for biometric passports and deeper economic and military cooperation.
The levy, which took effect immediately after being agreed upon on Friday, applies to all imports except humanitarian aid, according to a joint statement. However, details on how the funds will be used remain unclear.
This move formally ends free trade across the three nations and further deepens their split from ECOWAS, which includes economic powerhouses like Nigeria and Ghana. The juntas accused the bloc of failing to help them combat Islamist insurgencies, prompting their decision to leave.
ECOWAS had imposed sanctions to pressure the juntas into restoring civilian rule, but the measures had little impact.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger remain among the world’s poorest countries and have struggled against militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and Islamic State. Years of violence have killed thousands, displaced millions, and eroded trust in the democratic governments that preceded the coups.
