Liptako-Gourma Charter:
The military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signed a mutual defence pact, the Liptako-Gourma Charter, in Mali’s capital, Bamako.
- Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
- Its aim is to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of the population.
- This alliance will be a combination of military and economic efforts between the three countries.
- The charter binds the signatories to assist one another, including militarily — in the event of an attack on any one of them.
- It also binds the three countries to work to prevent or settle armed rebellions.
- Liptako-Gourma region is the region where the Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger borders meet.
- It has been ravaged by jihadist insurgency in recent years.
- The junta leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed a charter to establish a defence alliance known as the Alliance of Sahel States.
- Under this alliance, any attack on one or more signatory states will be considered an attack on all signatories.
- The alliance between three West African states, all ruled by military juntas and former French colonies.
