The Alliance of Sahel States as a “Laboratory” of Minilateralism

The article is devoted to the problem of institutionalization of the Alliance of Sahel States, created by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in September 2023. The study’s relevance is connect to the fact that this military-political organization is becoming an important factor in the regional security architecture, but at the same time does not have many characteristic elements of military-political alliances. Moreover, the Alliance of Sahel States is increasingly working on the economic and political integration of participating countries, that is, going beyond the framework of a classic military alliance. In this regard, the activities of the Alliance are viewed from the perspective of the theory of minilateralism, which explains the incentives and limitations of cooperation in flexible formats of interaction. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach, including historical and political aspects. To analyze the main areas of interaction between member countries of the Alliance of Sahel States, historical, genetic and comparative methods are used, making it possible to identify common interests and disagreements between states on individual issues. In the fight against international terrorism, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have achieved a high level of coordination of operations. On the issue of political integration and the potential formation of a confederation, serious contradictions arose between Niger and Burkina Faso, leading to increased sectoral and bilateral cooperation. In conclusion, it is pointed out that the Alliance of Sahel States differs in many ways from the well-known examples of minilateralism and represents its new form

Alliance · Archaeology · Geography · Global Peace and Security Dynamics · International Development and Aid