People gathered at a ceremony in the southwest Malian town of Kangaba to celebrate the one year anniversary of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso's decision to quit ECOWAS, on the eve of the three states' official departure from the West African trade bloc. The three countries' have now formed their own confederation, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). "The AES is the renaissance of Africa. And I think that all the countries that aspire to the rebirth of Africa should join the AES," says, Nestor Podasse, head of the Burkina Faso delegation at the ceremony. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES