Sahel Military Juntas
Since 2020, military officers have overthrown civilian governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These coups removed leaders allied with France and the United States. The new military rulers formed the Alliance of Sahel States in September 2023. They expelled French troops and United Nations peacekeepers from their countries. The juntas now rely on the Russian Africa Corps for security. This shift changes control over key trade routes and uranium deposits in West Africa.
Core Context Pillars
Pillar 1
Army officers seized power in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023. They blamed civilian governments for failing to stop local rebel attacks.
Pillar 2
The juntas ordered French military units to leave their bases. Niger also canceled its defense agreement with the United States in March 2024, forcing American troops to abandon Air Base 201.
Pillar 3
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signed the Liptako-Gourma Charter on September 16, 2023. This mutual defense pact creates a security bloc that operates outside the Economic Community of West African States.
Pillar 4
The three countries shifted security contracts to Russian state-backed private military companies. Niger also increased the price of its uranium exports to alter the terms of trade with European energy markets.