G5 Sahel: Group of Five (G5S) becomes Group of Two (G2), for security and development
The sub-regional institution for cooperation in security and development in the Sahel region, G5 Sahel, is seeing a departure of its members. Initially composed of five (05) members at its inception in December 2014, this group was reduced to four (04) in May 2022 after the Republic of Mali’s withdrawal.
More than a year after Mali’s withdrawal from this organization, two other members have also announced their withdrawal by the end of December. These are Burkina Faso and the Republic of Niger. The announcement was made on Friday, December 1, 2023, through a joint statement from the governments of both countries, following their individual notifications of withdrawal to the organization’s executive.
Niger and Burkina Faso have declared their withdrawal from the instances and bodies of the G5 Sahel, including its joint force. According to the joint government statement, this decision by Burkina Faso and Niger will take effect starting from December 31, corresponding to the date of signature by all concerned parties.
Following the effective withdrawal of these two countries from the G5 Sahel, only two members will remain, namely the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Chad. The reasons cited by the new dissenters include dissatisfaction with ambitions such as pooling resources and means to make the Sahel a zone of security and development.
They also mentioned that the organization, intended to defend the interests and ensure the well-being of the Sahel’s peoples, preferred to ally itself with imperialists and work primarily for their interests. The three countries now free from the G5 Sahel will be able to focus on the commitments they have made within the Liptako-Gourma of the AES to ensure their own security and development, for the benefit of their respective peoples.
