In Europe, accurate information about the recent progress made by the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) – comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – remains largely inaccessible. When it does appear, it is often distorted. A growing movement within the diaspora communities of these countries is working to unmask the what they are terming a “colonial and imperialist agenda” behind such mainstream narratives. In Italy, this effort was brought into focus on April 13, when Naples hosted a demonstration organized by the Patriotic Movement of the AES Diaspora (Le Mouvement Patriotique de la Diaspora de l’AES).
Bouyagui Konate, the group’s secretary, says that European media misrepresentation of AES governments has caused significant harm to public perception and threatened to undermine the broader struggle against neocolonialism. “Media outlets keep spreading misinformation, such as AES states hiring mercenaries or working for Russian interests. That’s simply not the reality,” Konate explains.
Media outlets in service of colonialism
He argues that European coverage, particularly from French outlets, presents a biased version of events that avoids acknowledging the role of European powers in the region’s socioeconomic and security crises. Many of these outlets could easily be described as instruments of colonial control. “Ten years ago, if something was broadcast on France24, it was accepted without question across West Africa. No one bothered to dig deeper,” says Konate.
That dynamic is changing, but not without obstacles. Outlets like France24 and Radio France Internationale still shape reports in a way to protect French interests in the region. For example, Konate notes that French media coverage of Chad is far more favorable than that of the AES countries. He explains this is because France is regrouping elsewhere as it tries to delegitimize the AES, a direct threat to its colonial agenda.
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The conditions in the Sahel, Konate insists, have been exacerbated by the presence of numerous Western military forces. He points out that, while these forces nominally pledged to fight terrorism, they refused to provide the support to local authorities to build independent institutions and determine their own path. “Despite all their talk of counterterrorism, European countries refused to sell weapons to AES states,” he says. “Why? Because their real priorities lie elsewhere. Supporting genuine liberation in the Sahel doesn’t serve imperialist interests, we can see that clearly from history.”
A popular mandate to chart an independent course for the Sahel
Echoing earlier remarks by the local movement’s president, Bara Soumaila, Konate also challenges the West’s presentation of the AES military leadership. “These governments were not elected through the kind of process Western audiences expect, but they are still rooted in popular legitimacy,” he says. “Previously ‘democratically’ elected leaders failed to deliver for the people. The current leadership has listened, and they’re acting on the demands of the population.”
Since taking office, the AES governments have taken significant steps to dismantle neocolonial structures: expelling French troops, exiting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and strengthening intra-regional cooperation. Konate sees these moves as a response to the specific context of the Sahel. “The people want to chart their own course, and their vision is incompatible with the goals of colonialist powers,” he states. This struggle, he adds, is also significant in the overall context of decolonization struggles in Africa.
Read more: The Sahel stands up and the world must pay attention
Groups like the Patriotic Movement of the AES Diaspora play an important role in raising awareness about the true situation on the ground. Although the formal chapter in Italy is relatively new, it played an important role in organizing a number of mobilizations, including mass rallies in Naples’ Piazza Garibaldi. These events helped build awareness of the political and cultural richness of the Sahel and will continue to do so, Konate insists, not only to support the AES states, but also to promote unity and action among diaspora communities in Italy.
At the moment, the immediate priority is to ensure people in Europe have access to accurate and truthful information about what’s happening in the Sahel, Konate concludes. “For too long, the people of the AES haven’t had the chance to speak for themselves. It’s as if everyone was allowed to speak about us, while we were never given a voice.”
