Experts and parliamentarians meeting in Ouagadougou (11–15 August 2025) adopted draft statutes and internal rules for a future confederal parliament, advancing the institutional consolidation of the AES. This body will complete the Confederation ’ s tripartite structure (Executive, Legislative, and Judicial) alongside a forthcoming common court of justice. Its mandate will include oversight of the College of Heads of State, adoption of joint budgets, and supervision of new institutions such as the AES Investment and Development Bank.

For external partners, this step introduces both opportunities and constraints. A parliament able to ratify defence and trade treaties may enhance AES cohesion, but the creation of shared legal frameworks and stricter “ sovereignist” regulation will raise compliance costs for investors and donors. While institutional consolidation strengthens political authority, it also signals a more complex and less permissive operating environment for international actors in the Sahel.