Al-Qaida–linked groups are pressuring Mali’s military government, threatening instability, while opposition urges Imam Mahmoud Dicko to mediate the escalating crisis.

The joint initiative was announced during a high-level meeting hosted by the Nigerien capital, Niamey, on November 7, which brought together the defense ministers of the Sahel Alliance countries.

On September 22, 2025, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger announced their withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, calling the institution a tool of colonial oppression in the hands of imperial powers.

Mali, under Colonel Assimi Goita, has broken from French influence, foiling a French-linked coup, expelling French forces, and deepening ties with Russia, as France faces intelligence failures and criticism for its Sahel policies.

The Sahel states and Russia are deepening their strategic partnership, with a particular focus on military cooperation, built on shared interests to confront mounting security challenges and to shape an alliance independent of former colonial powers.