Military leaders from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have signed a mutual defense pact known as the Liptako-Gourma Charter. The agreement establishes the Alliance of Sahel States and aims to create a framework for collective defense and mutual assistance among the three countries. The Liptako-Gourma region, where the borders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger meet, has been heavily affected by jihadist activities in recent years. The alliance will combine military and economic efforts to prioritize the fight against terrorism in the three countries.

The jihadist insurgency that began in northern Mali in 2012 has since spread to Niger and Burkina Faso. All three countries have experienced coups since 2020, with the most recent one occurring in Niger in July when President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by soldiers. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has threatened military intervention in Niger following the coup, but Mali and Burkina Faso have warned that such an operation would be considered a declaration of war against them.

The mutual defense pact signed on Saturday commits the signatories to assist each other, including militarily, in the event of an attack on any of the countries. It states that an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one party will be considered an aggression against the others, triggering a duty of assistance, including the use of armed force to restore and ensure security. The charter also obliges the three countries to work together to prevent or resolve armed rebellions.

In addition to combating jihadist groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, Mali has recently faced renewed hostilities from predominantly Tuareg armed groups. These groups had launched a rebellion in 2012 but signed a peace agreement with the state in 2015, which is now considered largely ineffective. The recent military activities by these armed groups have coincided with deadly attacks primarily attributed to the Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM).

Mali's junta has expelled France's anti-jihadist force in 2022 and the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA in 2023. French troops have also been withdrawn from Burkina Faso, and Niger's coup leaders have renounced several military cooperation agreements with France. The signing of the mutual defense pact among Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger reflects their commitment to addressing the security challenges in the region through collective efforts.

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