Michael Olugbode in AbujaJust days before formally taking over the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Senegalese President, Diomaye Faye, has embarked on a high-stakes diplomatic mission to Mali. The move is widely seen as an attempt to rebuild fractured ties between the regional bloc and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). Although no formal announcement was made regarding a possible return of Mali to ECOWAS, diplomatic sources described the meeting as constructive and indicative of a willingness by both sides to keep communication channels open after months of strained relations. The juntas rejected what they described as external interference in their domestic affairs and subsequently announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS, establishing the Alliance of Sahel States as a new regional security and political alliance. The departure of the three countries dealt a significant blow to ECOWAS, removing states that occupy a vast geographical area stretching across the Sahel and complicating regional security cooperation.