Bangladesh, Feb. 25 -- The recent signals from Washington indicating a willingness to re-engage with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) mark a pivotal moment in the evolving geopolitics of the Sahel. After years of reduced aid, military retrenchment, and diplomatic cooling, the United States now speaks the language of “respect for sovereignty,” “constructive dialogue,” and “trade, not aid.” For Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, this apparent shift may seem like long-awaited recognition of their autonomy. But history teaches us that great powers rarely recalibrate their foreign policy out of sentiment. Strategy, not sentiment, drives statecraft.

The AES-formed in 2023 by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger-repre...