Trio of Sahel countries agree to found confederation

The leaders of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso announced the formation of "confederation of Sahel countries" as a means of deepening the relations between their countries and the impacts of sour relations with West African countries. They approved the founding treaty of the confederation and named Malian President Assimi Goita as head of the grouping for a one-year term, according to final communique of the tripartite summit meeting. The states affirmed their desire to shares the wealth of each other in such areas as agriculture, water, energy and transport, the document said. The declaration of the confederation followed the foundation of the alliance of the Sahel countries in September after quitting the Economic Community of West African States (ECWAS). Besides Goita, the summit meeting, held in Niamey on Saturday, gathered Nigerien and Burkinabe leaders Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani and Captain Ibrahim Traore, respectively. Source: Kuwait News Agency