ECOWAS Appoints Kouyaté as Chief Negotiator to Reopen Dialogue with AES

ECOWAS formally appointed former Guinean Prime Minister Lansana Kouyaté as its chief negotiator to reopen diplomatic dialogue with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger). Previous ECOWAS mediators — Senegal's President Faye (July 2024) and Ghana's President Mahama (March 2025) — both failed to break through the impasse. The appointment signals continued international efforts to prevent full diplomatic rupture between the three junta-led AES states and the broader West African regional bloc. The AES states withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2025 but informal contacts have continued.