The three Sahelian states of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have signed a trilateral defence agreement binding them to assist one another in the event of a military attack on any one of them.
The agreement, known as the Liptako-Gourma Charter, was signed by the military leaders of the three states on Saturday, and according to Mali’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, it establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
On his page in the X social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, Goita said “I have today signed with the heads of state of Burkina Faso and Niger the Liptako-Gourma charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States, with the aim of establishing a collective defence and mutual assistance framework.”
Mali’s Defense Minister Abdoulaye Diop told journalists that “this alliance will be a combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries.”
The agreement states that “Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracting parties shall be considered as an aggression against the other parties and shall give rise to a duty of assistance…including the use of armed force to restore and ensure security,” the agreement stated.
The agreement is coming amid simmering anti-French sentiments across the three nations following France’s opposition to military rule in the three countries.
Against the backdrop of the growing tensions between France and the Sahelian states, Russia has called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to refrain from any scenario of invasion of Niger and underlines the risks of extreme worsening of the situation not only in the republic, but also throughout the Saharo-Sahelian zone.
This was stated by the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, during a press briefing at the Eastern Economic Forum. According to the diplomat, Moscow continues to “closely monitor the development of the situation” in Niger. She stressed that events in the country were currently developing “according to a peaceful scenario.”
Observers say the formation of a new government composed of representatives of the army and civilians indicates that the junta has moved past the reinstatement of the toppled Mohamed Bazoum government and mediation efforts with ECOWAS are expected to continue with the objective of peacefully resolving the crisis.
