Three West African countries, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, each under military leadership, have officially ratified the ‘Liptako-Gourma Charter,’ marking the inception of the ‘Sahel States Alliance’ (SSA). The primary objective of this alliance is to institute a framework for collective defense and mutual assistance in the event of aggression.
Moreover, the SSA encompasses economic initiatives aimed at combating terrorism within the Liptako-Gourma region, which shares borders with these three nations. Despite persistent calls from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore constitutional governance in Niger, both Mali and Burkina Faso consider any armed intervention an act of illegal aggression and pledge an immediate response.
This alliance extends its reach to international stakeholders, including France, Germany, and the United States, all of whom have suspended their aid programmes to Niger. The overarching aim of the SSA is to bolster security in a region that has been severely affected by persistent terrorist activities.