Sahel alliance takes shape as junta leaders meet

As junta leaders from the three member countries of the Sahel Alliance meet in Niamey this weekend, the focus will be primarily on combating security threats posed by insurgents.

Niger’s military leader, General Abdourahmane Tiani, receives his counterparts from the same milieu from Burkina Faso and Mali for the first summit of the Sahel troika.

The three countries say they formed the alliance, known by its French acronym AES, in response to the existential threat posed by insurgencies and the isolation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The three countries announced earlier this year their decision to leave the regional bloc after it imposed sanctions and threatened invasion in response to coups that brought juntas to power in the three countries between 2020 and 2023.

Burkinabe military leader Captain Ibrahim Traoré arrived in Niamey on Friday afternoon and was warmly welcomed, while his Malian counterpart flew to the Nigerien capital on Saturday morning.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) was founded by Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to address political crises and growing security threats from jihadists. These countries left the G5 Sahel and decided to take a new direction in managing their security challenges, marking a desire to break with French influence.

The creation of the AES also comes amid simmering tensions with ECOWAS. After the coup in Niger in July 2023, the regional bloc threatened to intervene militarily, prompting Mali and Burkina Faso to declare that such an intervention would be considered a declaration of war on the three neighbors ruled by military juntas.

In response, the three countries left the community institution in January 2024. The ESA aims to strengthen regional security by pooling military efforts and sharing intelligence to combat terrorism and crime.

It also aims to promote socio-economic development through cooperation on infrastructure, education and health projects, thereby improving the living conditions of local populations. The alliance also seeks to harmonize policies and promote common democratic values to strengthen political stability in the region.

The withdrawal of the three countries from ECOWAS and the creation of the AES mark a significant break with their previous policies, often influenced by France.

Relations with their former colonial power deteriorated after demands for the withdrawal of French troops and the end of MINUSMA in Mali.

At the same time, all three countries have reached out to Moscow for alternative military and strategic support.

In January 2024, Russia agreed to establish military cooperation with Niger, and Russian military personnel were deployed to Burkina Faso.

In May 2024, the AES Foreign Ministers finalized in Niamey a text governing the institutionalization and operationalization of the AES Confederation.

However, the region faces economic and social challenges. Mali, for example, has an extreme poverty rate of 19.1% and relies heavily on agriculture and gold exports.

Burkina Faso faces severe food insecurity and high poverty rates. Niger, despite projected economic growth of 11.2% for 2024, must overcome the consequences of the coup and manage high military expenditures.

Physician/General Practitioner/Practising Physician…in Nursing/Practicing Physician/Practising Physician in APA