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@article{192922,
        author = {Chidi O. Ukaegbu},
        title = {Tri-state Confederation and Reconfiguration of State Relations in ECOWAS Sub-region. A theoretical discourse},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {9},
        pages = {3749-3757},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=192922},
        abstract = {One of the fall-outs of the recurrent coups and security threats in West Africa is the union of three sovereign states into what is today regarded as a confederation. The confederation is made up of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso and dubbed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).  The alliance came into being amid a decade of escalating unrest in the Sahel which was fuelled by the aftermath of the NATO-led intervention in Libya in 2011 resulting from the instability caused by rampant arms trafficking and the rise of armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State. This has become a critical issue for discussion within and outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Thus, the present research paper is an attempt to theoretically x-ray Tri-state Confederation (AES) and the tendency of reconfiguring the nature and character of state relations within ECOWAS Sub-region. Specifically, the study seeks to appraise the operations of AES and its potential to intensify anti-western relations in ECOWAS member states; its role in shaping emerging state relations and the potential of AES to introduce ideological realignment in ECOWAS sub-region. Anchored on both Contagion and Balance of Power theories, the research adopted the qualitative approach of data collection which relies on secondary sources such as books, dossiers, journals, magazines, newspapers, official publications, press releases etc and content analysis for the data generated. Findings from the study show that recent coups and security threats in West Africa, exacerbated by the inability of ECOWAS to stem the tide, fuelled the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and the confederation, with a likelihood of expanding its operational space, membership and collaborations, will invariably undermine the legitimacy of ECOWAS and redefine state relations within the region. This is amplified by AES’s rejection of ECOWAS’s pro-west democratic norms and emphasis on military governance which has created a stark contrast between the AES bloc and the rest of West Africa states, leading to increased regional polarization. Based on these findings, the study recommended the emergence of a regional bloc driven purely by strong ideological nuances that negate the old order.},
        keywords = {Tri-state Confederation, State relations, anti-western relations, ideological realignment.},
        month = {February},
        }