The Alliance of the Sahel States (AES) is poised to introduce biometric passports for its member nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, by January 29, 2025. This move is part of the AES's dissociation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), its former West African bloc.

The plan to adopt biometric passports was first introduced in September 2024, following the AES's push to dissociate itself from ECOWAS. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger had touted plans to roll out new biometric passports as part of their exit from ECOWAS. According to Mali's interim president and chairman of the AES, Assimi Goïta, the use of biometric passports for mobility inside the AES region is set to begin on January 29, 2025.

The introduction of biometric passports aims to simplify travel for residents of its states and standardize travel documentation throughout the AES region. Expired passports will remain valid until their expiration date and can be exchanged for new documents reading 'AES' instead of 'ECOWAS.' This move is seen as a significant shift in travel documentation and regional identity, marking a new era for the AES member nations.

The three Sahelian nations under junta rule announced in tandem in January 2024 that they intended to leave the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Since then, every regional and global attempt to keep them in the union has failed, and the bloc has voiced concerns that their exit might undermine the freedom of movement and the shared market for the 400 million people who live in the 49-year-old bloc.

ECOWAS had noted that the signing of the AES confederation pact would lead to West Africa's fragmentation and increased instability. The three countries' economies account for around 8% of the bloc's GDP, and their exit is expected to have significant implications for the region's economic landscape.

The introduction of biometric passports is seen as a key step in the AES's efforts to establish itself as a distinct regional entity. As the AES continues to assert its independence from ECOWAS, the rollout of biometric passports is expected to have far-reaching implications for travel, trade, and regional identity in West Africa.

With the AES member nations set to embark on this new chapter, it remains to be seen how the introduction of biometric passports will shape the region's future. One thing is certain, however – the AES's dissociation from ECOWAS marks a significant shift in the region's political and economic landscape, and the rollout of biometric passports is just the beginning.