The Malian capital Bamako is hosting an emergency summit of the Sahel States Alliance on December 22–23, bringing together the presidents of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
The meeting comes amid a rapidly deteriorating regional security environment, following a wave of attacks by armed groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, whose operations are increasingly edging closer to national capitals while consolidating control over large rural areas.
This marks the second session of the “College of Heads of State of the Sahel Alliance”. The three countries, all governed by military authorities, are seeking to project themselves as a regional force capable of confronting security challenges without external oversight, particularly after the withdrawal of French troops and the scaling back of the US presence in the region.
The summit is expected to focus on strengthening joint military coordination and outlining an urgent response plan to counter the growing security threats, despite persistent challenges related to limited financial and military resources among the alliance’s member states.
