Three West African Sahel nations currently under military rule, have signed a security pact pledging mutual assistance in the event of rebellion or external aggression.
These countries are grappling with the challenge of containing Islamic insurgencies linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State. Additionally, their relations with neighboring nations and international partners have become strained due to recent military coups.
The most recent coup in Niger further exacerbated tensions between these three countries and the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has threatened to use force to restore constitutional order in Niger.
Mali and Burkina Faso have committed to coming to Niger’s aid if it faces an attack. The security pact, known as the Alliance of Sahel States, stipulates that “any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracting parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties.” The agreement allows for individual or collective assistance, potentially including the use of armed force.
Assimi Goita, the leader of Mali’s junta, announced the signing of the Liptako-Gourma charter, establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, in collaboration with the heads of state of Burkina Faso and Niger. The primary goal of this alliance is to create a framework for collective defense and mutual assistance.
All three countries were previously members of the France-supported G5 Sahel alliance joint force, which also included Chad and Mauritania. The G5 Sahel was launched in 2017 to combat Islamist extremist groups in the region. However, Mali withdrew from the organization following a military coup, and Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum declared the force “dead” in May of the previous year after Mali’s departure.
Relations between France and the three Sahel states have deteriorated since the military coups. France has been compelled to withdraw its troops from Mali and Burkina Faso and is currently in a tense standoff with the junta that seized power in Niger. The junta requested the withdrawal of French troops and its ambassador, a move France has refused to acknowledge.