Burkina Faso: Non-aggression pacts, when certain Western states become rear bases for terrorists
In the heart of the Sahel, the scourge of terrorism continues to destabilize states, decimate populations, and threaten the very existence of nations. Yet, instead of a genuine and united fight, some regional powers appear tempted to play a dangerous game—entering into non-aggression pacts with armed groups.
Burkinabe President Ibrahim Traoré, in a recent interview, shed light on this troubling reality. According to him, the absence of attacks in certain capitals cannot be taken as proof of military invincibility. “The fact that Abidjan is not targeted by terrorist attacks does not mean that the Ivorian army is overwhelmingly powerful. The government flirts with the terrorists. There is a non-aggression pact. And when such a pact exists, you become a rear base,” he stated.
Faced with the spread of terrorist attacks, instead of engaging in direct confrontation, some regimes have allegedly chosen compromise: providing shelter and resources, turning a blind eye to illicit trafficking, and offering discreet refuge in exchange for an appearance of calm.
But at what cost? Turning one’s territory into a sanctuary for armed groups only strengthens them. These organizations, enjoying logistical respite, use such safe havens as spaces for rest, reorganization, and preparation of new offensives against neighboring countries. Thus, far from bringing peace, this strategy fuels the cycle of violence and weakens the entire region.
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, who directly face terrorism on their soil, strongly denounce these tacit agreements that undermine the very notion of regional solidarity. They insist that the fight against armed groups must be collective and uncompromising. To accept the illusory comfort of non-confrontation is to condemn one’s neighbors to pay the price in blood.
It is urgent for ECOWAS and the African Union to take up this debate. Complicity with terrorist groups is a betrayal of African peoples, an attack on sovereignty, and an obstacle to regional integration.
Terrorism cannot be fought through secret pacts, but through sincere unity, military cooperation, and a firm commitment to collective security. Otherwise, the countries that choose compromise will bear the heavy responsibility of having turned their territories into rear bases for the very forces destroying Africa.
