Alliance of Sahel Military Leaders Raises Questions

Although the security situation in the region has worsened since the militaries in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso overthrew their civilian-led governments, some experts think the latest move to ally to combat threats from jihadist groups could do more harm than good. They warned that the success of any defense pact will depend on economic stability. "If the people in these countries do not have daily bread and the governance structure becomes weak, then that could also have a direct impact on the successes of these operations," writes an analyst at the Geneva Center for Africa Security and Strategic Studies.