When Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger launched the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023, it was conceived as a military defense pact between the junta-led countries to combat jihadist groups and uphold national sovereignty. The alliance has since expanded its ambitions to include political and economic integration. But two years on, the gap between expectations and reality appears wide: economic conditions remain fragile, and for many citizens, daily life has seen little improvement.