Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger sign deal to enhance security Alliance
Picture credit: Jeune Afrique
By Nambu Bernadette Franka
Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have signed a security pact aimed at ensuring collective defense and mutual attack assistance between the three countries.
This was announced by the Ministerial delegations from the three countries in a press conference in Mali’s Capital, Bamako, on Saturday, September 16, 2023.
“Today, together with the Heads of State of Burkina Faso and Niger, I signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter establishing the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the aim of which is to establish a collective defense and mutual assistance for the benefit of all”, the head of Mali’s ruling junta, Assimi Goita, posted on his Twitter (X) social media account.
Aljazeera reported that the Liptako-Gourma region, where Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso border meets have been ravaged by armed rebellion in recent years.
The signed alliance stated that; “Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties,”.
Niger’s junta leader Abdourahmane Tiani is said to have described the signing of the charter as ”historic” saying ”together, we will build a peaceful, prosperous and united Sahel.”
The Sahel, a region in Africa that includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria is said to have grown increasingly violent in recent years. In 2020, 4,660 people are said to have been killed in the region with part said to be caused by Boko Haram, reports said.
