G5 Sahel: Burkina Faso and Niger follow Mali in withdrawing

In a joint statement released on Saturday, December 2, Burkina Faso and Niger officially announced their withdrawal from the G5 Sahel. Following in the footsteps of Mali, these two countries have decided to end their participation in the G5 Sahel, an initiative aimed at combating jihadist advances in the region. This leaves only two countries remaining in this military alliance – Mauritania and Chad.

Established in 2014, the G5 Sahel originally included Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad.

The three countries that have now withdrawn are part of another alliance known as the Sahel States Alliance.

Mali had chosen to withdraw from the G5 Sahel following the non-holding of the 8th ordinary session in February 2022.

Bamako reminded that this date was supposed to mark the beginning of Mali’s presidency of the G5 Sahel.

On May 15, Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, government spokesperson, denounced what Mali perceived as a comedy orchestrated in the West.

According to Bamako, the non-convening of this session reflects a loss of decision-making autonomy, manipulation, and serious dysfunction of the G5 Sahel’s organs.

Now, for Burkina Faso and Niger, «the organization struggles to achieve its objectives. Moreover, the legitimate ambitions of our states to make the G5 Sahel region a zone of security and development are thwarted by institutional hurdles and outdated constraints. These convince us that the path to independence and dignity we are currently pursuing is incompatible with participation in the G5 Sahel in its current form».

The G5 Sahel is now essentially an empty shell, as Chad and Mauritania do not present substantial contributions compared to the three states that have formed an alliance to independently pursue their counter-terrorism efforts.