Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have signed an agreement to establish a joint union. The leaders of the countries met on Saturday at the first summit of the Association of Sahelian States (AES) in Niger. The union was founded last September.
The countries left the wider Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in January this year. In all three countries, elected governments have fallen and are ruled by military junta. With the new union, the countries seek greater self-determination.