President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania has publicly urged Mali to rejoin the G5 Sahel organisation, a regional military alliance that is combatting jihadist groups. Mali’s withdrawal from the organisation in May 2022 was due to cited concerns about “loss of autonomy” and “instrumentalisation”.
The appeal from President Ghazouani was delivered on Monday during the 4th session of the General Assembly of the Sahel Alliance in the Mauritanian capital of Nouakchott. The Sahel Alliance, composed of 27 bilateral partners and donors, has been established to garner international aid for the development of the region.
Since 2020, Mali has been governed by a military junta which has severed ties with France and its allies, seeking support instead from Russia. Meanwhile, Mauritania, a predominantly desert nation of 4.5 million inhabitants, has managed to remain free from attacks since 2011.
In his speech, President Ghazouani expressed regret at Mali’s withdrawal from the G5 Sahel and its combined force. He noted that this decision has disrupted the geographical continuity of the region and deprived the organisation of the valuable contributions from a fellow country.
“I hope that this withdrawal (from the G5 Sahel) will be very momentary,” President Ghazouani stated. He acknowledged that the exit of Mali and the French force Barkhane, coupled with the eruption of conflict in Sudan, are regrettable developments which have disrupted the normal functioning of the organisation and further increased the vulnerability of an already fragile region.
The G5 Sahel joint force, significantly funded by the European Union, represented a solution for international Sahel partners at a time when jihadism was spreading in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, and now threatens the Gulf of Guinea further south.
However, over the last five years, joint operations have remained infrequent, and the security situation in the Sahel continues to deteriorate.
Mauritania recently established a roadmap which includes “efforts for the return of Mali” to the G5 Sahel, and the other alliance countries have all already advocated for Mali’s reentry into the organisation. President Ghazouani also called for more “commitment and mobilisation of resources” for the G5 Sahel and for short and long-term development actions for the benefit of the populations.
