Security, Sovereignty and the Collapse of Multilateralism in the Sahel

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the collapse of multilateralism in the Sahel, focusing on how military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have led to the formation of the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) and a strategic pivot away from Western-led institutions toward partners like Russia and China.

• A series of military coups in Mali (2020, 2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023) led to the creation of the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) in September 2023. These juntas have used narratives of 'sovereignty restoration' to justify unconstitutional rule and deflect scrutiny, though they have failed to deliver promised security and economic reforms.
• The AES nations—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—formally withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in January 2025. This move was driven by frustrations over ECOWAS sanctions and a perception that the bloc had aligned too closely with Western security and governance agendas.
• The Sahel has become a focal point for global terrorism, accounting for 51% of global terrorism-related deaths by 2024. The departure of international missions like MINUSMA and Operation Barkhane has created power vacuums exploited by groups such as Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State Sahel Province (IS Sahel).
• Russia has filled the security vacuum left by Western disengagement, providing military assistance through the Africa Corps (formerly the Wagner Group). This partnership was formalised in August 2025 through a defence summit and cooperation memorandum, despite reports of human rights abuses and civilian massacres by Russian affiliates and local forces.
• The AES states are increasingly seeking alternative economic and legal frameworks to replace Western-led systems. This includes withdrawing from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in September 2025, citing 'selective justice', and exploring a shared regional currency to replace the CFA franc.
• Severe structural pressures exacerbate the crisis, including exponential population growth and extremely low Human Development Index (HDI) values. In 2023, Niger and Mali recorded an HDI of 0.419 and Burkina Faso 0.459, far below the global average of 0.76.
• The crisis is framed as a symptom of the broader decline of the liberal international order. The document notes that the selective application of norms and the shift toward unilateralism—exemplified by the 'America First' policy of US President Donald Trump since January 2025—have weakened the legitimacy of global institutions.

APA

Ratchford, E. (2026). Security, Sovereignty and the Collapse of Multilateralism in the Sahel. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAIIA_PI_175_SecuritySovereigntyCollapseSahel_.pdf

Chicago

Ratchford, Emma. Security, Sovereignty and the Collapse of Multilateralism in the Sahel. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2026. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAIIA_PI_175_SecuritySovereigntyCollapseSahel_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ratchford |first1=Emma |title=Security, Sovereignty and the Collapse of Multilateralism in the Sahel |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=May 2026 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAIIA_PI_175_SecuritySovereigntyCollapseSahel_.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ratchford2026security, author = {Ratchford, Emma}, title = {{Security, Sovereignty and the Collapse of Multilateralism in the Sahel}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SAIIA_PI_175_SecuritySovereigntyCollapseSahel_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }