Alliance of Sahel States: Strengthening Peace and Development or Hidden Agendas?

2023-09-25 07:20:21

Three countries whose destiny is in the hands of the men in khaki, namely Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, have decided to join hands to form a common front not only against their enemies where they come from, but also and above all harmonized their points of view on questions of peace and development. Brought to the baptismal font, the Alliance of Sahel States which has just seen the light of day is the new opus of these three countries which now intend to take their destiny, both security and economic, in their hands. The question that torments certain minds is that beyond this apparent idea is there not a plan of response against the other ECOWAS countries which plan to attack Niger in order to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to his position ? Shouldn’t the priority be the fight against the terrorists who have been roaming the Sahel for more than a decade? Will the AES succeed where the G5 Sahel failed miserably?

What could be more normal for these three countries which suffer on a daily basis the repeated assaults of the forces of evil, to synergize their forces and pool their resources to face these outlaws who cut off sleep from peaceful populations who ask for nothing other than peace and security. Indeed, the initiative is to be welcomed and encouraged, even if according to many observers it contains legitimate fears of a planned split in the sub-region. For many political analysts, this initiative is to be welcomed, given that the three countries face the same terrorist threat and that if the adage according to which the noblest aid is that which comes from oneself is a reality, it would be completely normal for the three countries to think first of all about their own security. It is to be welcomed because in addition to the porosity of the borders which requires increased vigilance, these three countries have in common the Sahel which is just as vast if not larger than many Western countries combined, therefore for low-income countries a pooling financial means and efforts could make it possible to defeat terrorists. So if no one can save themselves alone without others, it is obvious to combine efforts to overcome the forces of evil.

But beyond this apparent idea, isn’t there a response plan hidden against the other ECOWAS countries which plan to attack Niger in order to put President Mohamed Bazoum back in his post?

Although the AES member countries reaffirm their attachment to international and sub-regional legality enshrined in particular by the United Nations charter, the constitutive act of the African Union and the revised ECOWAS treaty, the authorities of the three countries did not fail to affirm their desire to act against any forces that would venture to attack Niger to restore President Mohamed Bazoum to his functions as President of the Republic. All analysts agree that the Alliance is much more of a shepherd’s response between ECOWAS and the putschists of the three countries. The latter say they are ready to retaliate against any attacks. This warlike desire against the sub-regional organization would be a handicap for this alliance, because these three countries have neither the material means nor the financial means to face several fronts for so long. So we might as well devote ourselves to the essential which is the fight against terrorists rather than dispersing the forces. We must not hide the security challenges facing these three countries are so enormous that to meet them we need more than an alliance between these three countries, hence the need to call on other countries and organizations in order to pool resources and form a much more compact front against the forces of evil which are growing stronger every day.

Will the AES succeed where the G5 Sahel failed miserably?

No one can answer in the affirmative, given that the same causes could produce the same effects. The G5 Sahel died because the member states were unable to honor their commitments both in terms of the number of troops to provide and the financial and material resources to mobilize. So in the current context characterized by economic asphyxiation of countries under transition, is there not reason to question the financial capacity of the Alliance countries? Money is the sinews of war, while it is the one that is most lacking in the AES space, how could the three countries have money to face the multiple fronts. In addition to the deficit financial and material resources, do the three countries not have enough to do on the security and social level rather than wanting to extend and multiply the fronts, because the other front which will soon be in turmoil is undoubtedly the social front. As a reminder, the social crisis is undoubtedly the mother of all crises. So we might as well devote ourselves to the fight against the forces of evil.

In short, if the G5 Sahel did not survive the upheavals and other obstacles that arose along its path, the AES must learn all the lessons to avoid experiencing the same fate as it.

Youssouf Sissoko