Sahel: Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger form the AES for collective defence and mutual assistance
On Saturday September 16th, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso signed up to a collective defence and mutual assistance alliance known as the Liptako-Gourma Charter, thus creating the AES (Alliance of Sahel States). Under the terms of this charter, the three countries intend to intervene, if necessary by «armed force», in the event of armed aggression or an attack on the sovereignty of one or more of the contracting parties.
This «Liptako-Gourma Charter» thus gives birth to the new «Alliance of Sahel States» (AES), welcomed the President of Mali, Assimi Goita, on his X account (formerly Twitter).
The agreement contains 17 points, including the objective of providing military defence in the event of any attempt to destabilise these states.
The aim is «to establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of our populations», emphasised the President of Mali’s transitional government.
With the common challenge of the terrorist threat and its corollary, the humanitarian crisis, the creation of the ESA sounds like a new departure for these three countries to counter the scourge through synergy of action and solid, effective cooperation.
This is precisely what the Liptako-Gourma charter refers to, or the area known as the «three borders», between Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. A region where the jihadist threat is concentrated.
«The creation of the Alliance of Sahel States marks a decisive stage in the cooperation between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger», President Ibrahim Traoré posted on his X account.
«For the sovereignty and development of our peoples, we will lead the fight against terrorism in our common space, until victory», he added.
For many observers, the birth of this bloc is an immediate response to the military threat brandished by ECOWAS the day after 26 July to reinstate the overthrown president Mohamed Bazoum.
Mali and Burkina Faso have expressed their support for the new authorities in Niger, and in a joint statement declared that any intervention by the regional organisation against the country «would be tantamount to a declaration of war» against them and would result in their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Maiga DAO
