Alliance of Sahel States
 Alliance of Sahel States (dark red) | |
| Formation | 16 September 2023 |
|---|---|
| Type | Military alliance |
| Purpose | Collective security |
Region | Sahel |
Membership | |
Official language | French |
| Leader | Ibrahim Traoré[1] |
The Alliance of Sahel States (French: l'Alliance des États du Sahel[2]) is a mutual defense pact created between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso on 16 September 2023.[3][4] The pact was created amid the 2023 Nigerien crisis, which had begun after the coup in Niger which ECOWAS threatened to militarily intervene against.[5]
The alliance was created to help against possible threats of armed rebellion or external aggression, emphasizing "Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties".[3]
Background
The Sahel region is part of an ongoing jihadist insurgency since 2011. The insurgency have led to many conflicts in the region such as the Mali War and Boko Haram insurgency. All three member states experienced military coups in recent years, causing a deterioration of relationships with the rest of ECOWAS and the international community.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "Military-ruled former French colonies forge NATO-style Alliance of Sahel States". 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Le Burkina Faso,la République du Mali et la République du Niger créent l'Alliance des Etats du Sahel". YouTube. Radio Télévision du Burkina. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso sign Sahel security pact". Reuters. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ Report, Agency (16 September 2023). "Mali, Niger, Burkina juntas sign mutual defence pact". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso establish Sahel security alliance". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "ECOWAS Unity Put to Test as West African Coup Crisis Deepens". VOA. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2023.