The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) is accelerating the establishment of its unified military force. This Friday, November 7, 2025, the defense ministers of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger met in Niamey to finalize the crucial steps of its deployment.

🚀 Towards the Operationalization of the Unified Force

General Abdourahamane Tiani, President of Niger, received his counterparts in audience: Sadio Camara (Mali), Célestin Simporé (Burkina Faso), and Salifou Mody (Niger). The objective is clear: to accelerate the operational launch of this joint force.

The discussions focused on key technical and strategic aspects:

1. The definition of the unified command structure .
2. Improving the flow of intelligence between the three armed forces.
3. The coordination of interventions across a shared territory of 2.8 million square kilometers, where armed groups still move around too easily.

This meeting follows that of October 19, during which the chiefs of staff ( Moussa Diallo for Burkina Faso, Oumar Diarra for Mali, and Moussa Salaou Barmou for Niger) had already established the operational foundations of a common military architecture.

⚔️ An Autonomous Strike Force

According to official announcements, this new army will have 5,000 soldiers . It will be equipped with its own air and ground forces , as well as integrated intelligence services .

The goal is to have a force capable of intervening simultaneously on several fronts . Its headquarters has been established in Niamey since the end of July, with an operational staff. The Nigerien Minister of Defense stated that its actual deployment was now only a matter of weeks away.

💡 Context: A Shared Security Emergency

The timing of this acceleration reflects the urgency of the security situation:

1. In Mali , the country is facing a fuel supply crisis, with convoys regularly attacked, and an embargo imposed by the Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) group on several localities. The adversary is constantly adapting its strategy there.
2. In Burkina Faso and Niger , attacks persist, carried out in particular by JNIM and the Islamic State in the Sahel .

Faced with these common threats across a continuous territory, a coordinated response is vital.

🏛️ The AES: A New Regional Defense Architecture

The Alliance of Sahel States, created in September 2023, took a major institutional step by transforming into a Confederation in July 2024 .

This dynamic of autonomy materialized with the definitive withdrawal of the three nations from ECOWAS on January 29, 2025. The countries of the ESA are now building their own framework for collective defense, moving away from regional organizations deemed ineffective.

The defining characteristic of this new force is its strategic and financial autonomy . Unlike previous structures, such as the G5 Sahel, it does not depend on external funding . The three states themselves fully assume responsibility for its operation and direction, allowing them to act according to their own priorities.