Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali Form Military Pact

Military leaders in Niger Republic, who took over power from democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum on the 26th of July, 2023, have formed a military alliance with the neighbouring countries of Burkina Faso and Mali.

The Junta in Burkina Faso and Mali also seized power from democratically elected Presidents.

The development was disclosed by the three countries’ foreign ministers in a joint announcement in Niamey, Niger’s capital.

The accord allows Mali and Burkina Faso to provide military assistance to Niger in the event of military intervention against the coup leader.

A similar agreement already exists between Burkina Faso and Mali.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in reaction to July 2023 activated a standby force and threatened to invade the country if the President is not reinstated and constitutional order restored.

The agreement which was announced also calls for the three countries to take joint action against terrorist groups active in their countries and secure their borders.

For years, the countries in the Sahel region have been threatened by various terrorist militias, some of which have sworn allegiance to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State.

Under Bazoum, Niger was considered one of the last strategic partners of the West in the fight against the advance of Islamist terrorists in the Sahel.