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Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have sealed a mutual defense agreement known as the Alliance of Sahel States.

The Alliance of Sahel States, formalized on Saturday, pledges the trio to back one another, even militarily, should any member face attacks. As per the charter, “Any attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of one or more contracted parties will be considered an aggression against the other parties.”

Mali’s Defense Minister, Abdoulaye Diop, in Bamako, emphasized the dual nature of this coalition, stating it melds both “military and economic efforts between the three countries,” underscoring the central aim: combating terrorism.

This comes as the geopolitical landscape has since been precarious. Relations between the three states and France deteriorated after the coups, culminating in France’s troop withdrawal from Mali and Burkina Faso and escalating tensions with Niger’s new military regime. Concurrently, Mali’s call for the UN’s peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA, to exit its borders and Niger’s demand for the French ambassador’s departure further elucidate the strained ties.