
When an African nation falls into a crisis, who comes to its aid? For years, leaders across the continent have spoken passionately about African unity—about standing together, lifting each other up, and building a future free from foreign control. But when tested, that unity often fades. Time and again, we've watched African leaders turn on each other, chasing the approval of Western powers instead of standing in solidarity. It's a painful truth that has haunted the continent for decades.
Yet something different is taking shape. In the heart of the Sahel, a new alliance is rising—Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—bound together under the banner of the AES. Unlike the empty promises of the past, this alliance is showing what real unity looks like. When Mali recently faced a devastating fuel shortage, Niger didn’t hesitate. It sent forty tankers of fuel across the border, not alone, but with a full military escort. A bold, symbolic move—one that says, we protect our own.