Countries that are geographically close, united by common challenges, linked by ties of religion, culture and history, and ruled by military men who came to power through similar coups and who adopt the doctrine of rebellion and escape from the mantle of the old colonialist, and have aspirations to build blocs that go beyond security and military cooperation to the economic and cultural sphere.
This is the region of the new “Coalition of Sahel States” established by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger in September 2023, which came in the midst of severing the relationship with Paris, which remained strongly present in the region after granting it independence 6 decades ago.
The leaders of the military councils aim to restore independence and change the security and military equation in their countries, by creating relationships and signing agreements with new players in the region, which promises its diverse wealth.
New independence
The military rulers intersect around the idea of liberation and disengagement with Paris, and the necessity of writing a new independence for their countries, which they see as economically and culturally occupied.
In his speech on the occasion of the anniversary of independence in November 2022, the Governor of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, said, “It is not time to celebrate, as our independence is not complete, because our lands are occupied and our economy is faltering.” Traoré stressed that the struggle for independence has begun.
Traoré’s speech, which was greatly welcomed in Burkinabe and African circles, was an inspiration to General Abderrahmane Tiani, head of the ruling military junta in Niger, who in turn announced on the occasion of his country’s independence anniversary on December 18, that the vision from which his government is based is in an alliance with Burkina Faso. And Mali, is to serve the interests of the peoples in the Sahel region for the sake of a new history for an independent Africa.
As for the state of Mali, from which the idea of revolutionary coups began, its leaders announced that the new constitution would be decisive in re-establishing the country and its independence.
For the sake of cultural liberation, the constitution stipulated that French was no longer an official language of the country, and was kept only as a working language.
New agglomeration
Last September, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signed the Liptago-Gorma Pact to create a collective framework for cooperation and joint defense, called the “Coalition of Sahel States.”
These three countries, which are located in the Sahel region of West Africa, have witnessed a series of coups, the most recent of which was the Niger coup on July 26. These coups and the positions of their owners caused tension in relations with Paris, until its forces and ambassadors were expelled from the region.
Although the tripartite alliance came at a time when Niger is witnessing escalating threats from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Its role was not limited to confronting the group only, but also included military and security cooperation to stand up to the armed groups, which consider the Sahel region a hotbed for their recruits.
The Liptago-Gorma Charter (the charter establishing the Sahel Alliance) took its name from the importance of fighting armed groups.
Fliptago-gorma means three borders; It is a shared region between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where armed groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State are spread.
In a previous meeting with his Burkinabe counterpart, General Tiani said that the multidimensional support provided by Burkina Faso to Niger was what enabled it to “resist the threats of the Economic Community of West African States to military intervention in Niger, and to put an impenetrable barrier against its siege imposed on Niamey.”
Burkina Faso and Mali had previously announced that any attack on Niger would be considered an attack against them.
In the joint final statement issued following Tiani’s visit to Burkina Faso last November, the two military leaders affirmed their desire and will to unite force in order to confront the common challenges, which pose a threat and an obstacle to economic and social development between the two countries.
In reference to the need to stand up to ECOWAS, which had previously said that it would intervene militarily in Niger in order to restore power, the joint statement stressed the necessity of unity and the importance of alliances, especially since the world has become multipolar and is governed only by the interests of the peoples.
Absence of France
The new Sahel countries alliance comes in the complete absence of France and the strong presence of Russia, which officially means the end of the Group of Five Sahel countries that France sponsored in 2014, and Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger withdrew from it.
Once the new alliance was announced, only two members remained in the Group of Sahel States: Mauritania and Chad.
Instead of France isolating the leaders of the three countries from the G5 Sahel alliance; The coup plotters formed an alliance without the two official allies of France: Mauritania and Chad.
There has been a great rapprochement between the three countries, especially in the position towards France, which has controlled the region for a long time, and which was forced to withdraw its forces and many of its economic investments in these three countries.
In his participation with Al Jazeera Net, researcher Al-Hafiz Al-Ghabid said, “The New Coast Alliance is part of the policy of escaping forward practiced by these countries that were plunged by military coups into resolving political and economic crises.”
He adds that these countries will not be able to fill the void of French and international forces, due to the difficult conditions and the spread of armed movements.
Fill the void
Some observers of African affairs believe that Russia is seeking to fill the void created by Paris’s exit from the region, while others believe that the American and Chinese presence has also become increasing in the region, especially the American forces that make Niger their large base.
Observers rule out Mauritania and Chad joining the new alliance. Because it is based on hostility with France, it gives priority to working with Moscow and its special forces in the Wagner region.
Only President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani remains in the Group of Five Sahel countries – founded by France – who has continued to emphasize in his media statements the strength of his relationship with France, and believes that its role is pivotal in the stability of the Sahel.
However, the members of the new tripartite alliance do not adopt that proposal and consider that France did not provide the region with what was expected of it. The leaders of the “Sahel Alliance” confirm that today’s world no longer allows absolute loyalty, but rather the higher interests of countries and peoples are the compass of cooperation, partnership and coordination with any regional or international power. International.
