Military leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso sign mutual defence pact

Subject: IR

Section: Places in news

Introduction

Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter, forming the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The goal of the pact is to establish collective defense and mutual assistance, primarily focused on combating terrorism within these countries.

Political Turmoil and Coups

All three nations have experienced political turmoil and coups since 2020.
Following the recent coup in Niger, tensions arose with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which threatened military intervention.
Mali and Burkina Faso warned that such intervention would be viewed as a “declaration of war”.

Commitments Under the Liptako-Gourma Charter

The charter obligates signatory countries to assist each other, including military support, in case of an attack.
It also mandates cooperation to prevent or resolve armed rebellions.

Tuareg Armed Groups and Other Threats

In addition to jihadist threats, Mali has experienced renewed hostilities by predominantly Tuareg armed groups.
These groups had previously signed a peace agreement with the state in 2015 but have resumed military activities.
The region faces threats, primarily from the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM).

Withdrawal of Foreign Troops

Mali’s junta removed France’s anti-jihadist force in 2022.
The UN peacekeeping missionMINUSMA was withdrawn in 2023.
French troops were also withdrawn from Burkina Faso.
Niger’s coup leaders canceled several military cooperation agreements with France.

Region of Liptako-Gourma

Location: It is a region in West Africa, straddling parts of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Mali: Northern Mali, particularly the Gao and Menaka regions, is part of Liptako-Gourma and has been affected by conflict and jihadist groups.
Burkina Faso: The eastern part of Burkina Faso, has experienced violence and terrorism.
Niger: The western region of Niger, faces security threats, including attacks by extremist groups.