Military cooperation in Central Sahel must be revised without interference of external partners 

The Sahel is experiencing increasing political and security upheavals. A series of unconstitutional changes in government have occurred in Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso, with persistent insecurity and violent extremism spreading to West Africa’s coastal states.

The G5 Sahel Joint Force was set up in 2017 to fight terrorism and the trafficking of drugs and people in the region. Its objective was to foster regional cooperation and address security threats in its member countries — Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

On 16 November, the United Nations (UN) Security Council will discuss the joint force, which faces various problems, including the perennial need for more finance and capacity. It is also struggling to maintain its independence from external influence and remain operationally effective without the participation of Mali. 

After some G5 Sahel countries opposed Mali holding the organisation’s presidency, the country’s transitional government withdrew from the G5 Sahel on 16 May. This was precipitated by an escalation of political tensions between the French and Malian authorities after France criticised Mali’s decision to cooperate with Russian paramilitaries. That led to the departure of France’s Barkhane and Takuba forces from Mali. 

Meanwhile, Niger has begun to reinforce its national guard with a mobile component in response to threats from extremist groups along its border with Mali. And the government in Burkina Faso, which took power in a 30 September coup d’état, is planning to arm civilians within the framework of the Volunteers for the Defense of the Fatherland initiative. 

The UN Security Council discussion comes two months after the defence ministers and chiefs of staff of the G5 Sahel countries met on 21 and 22 September in Niger’s capital, Niamey. They discussed a new strategy for the joint force after Mali’s withdrawal and agreed to revise its operational plan. 

Given Mali’s withdrawal, they also decided to abolish the three geographic areas of operation (known as fuseaux), which prevented the force from intervening effectively across borders. The Joint Theatre Command Post will also be moved from N’Djaména in Chad to nearer the operational area. The meeting also resolved that the G5 would support its member countries’' bilateral and multilateral military operations.

These decisions would transform the joint force into an anti-terrorist intervention that could conduct operations in the various countries making up the G5. Currently, its scope is limited to cross-border military missions.

The challenge, however, is to formalise these decisions and resolve the thorny question of the joint force’s long-term financing, which has always been a major obstacle to its proper functioning. To be effective on the ground and guarantee civilians’ protection, a substantial improvement in capacity is needed. 

In this regard, the G5 Sahel Joint Force, like all other African peace and security initiatives, needs the support of external partners. But it must be careful to preserve its independence and remain free from these partners’ influence.