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One such firm, AES Colombia is developing the country's largest wind energy cluster in La Guajira, with six wind farms.

"We cannot do these projects alone," says Federico Echavarría, general manager of AES Colombia.

Similarly, AES chairman, Mali's military ruler Assimi Goïta, said last January that the right of Ecowas citizens to "enter, circulate, reside, establish and leave the territory" of the new bloc would be maintained.

To consolidate their exit from Ecowas and strenghten their alliance, the three countries said they would begin circulating new AES passports on Wednesday.

Omar Hama from Niger said he wished the three countries had remained in Ecowas, while simultaneously belonging to the AES.