The central Sahel region is set to receive a boost in security with the deployment of a joint force consisting of 5,000 troops from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. This collaborative effort comes as a response to the security challenges faced by these West African nations. The decision to join forces was made by the military-led governments of these countries, which came into power through coups between 2020 and 2023.
The joint force, equipped with its own air assets, equipment, and intelligence resources, will operate across the territories of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali. This initiative follows the decision last year to sever military and diplomatic ties with regional allies, including France and other Western powers.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) has solidified the collaboration between these three nations. According to Niger’s Defence Minister, Salifou Mody, the unified AES force is nearly ready, with 5,000 personnel. He mentioned that it will only be a matter of weeks before the force becomes visible on the ground, with some joint operations already underway.
However, concerns have been raised about the potential spread of insecurity from the Sahel region to other parts of West Africa, following the departure of the three countries from ECOWAS and strained relations with France and other Western nations. The region has been plagued by violence driven by a decade-long conflict with Islamist groups affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, leading to the displacement of 2.6 million people within the region by the end of December, according to the U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA.
The deployment of the joint force is seen as a crucial step towards addressing the security challenges in the central Sahel region and ensuring the safety and stability of the affected populations.
