The G20’s Engagement with Coups and Security in the Sahel: External Intervention and its Limits in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger

Abstract

In recent years, military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have seen the Sahel plunged into deeper political instability. At the same time, the region remains a hotspot for global counterterrorism efforts, with G20 members like France and the European Union (EU) having been involved through military operations and security partnerships. These overlapping crises raise the questions of how G20 countries have responded to these coups and whether the push for stability is coming at the cost of democratic values. Through a descriptive analytical approach, this paper takes a closer look at how the G20, not as a single voice, but through the actions of key members, has managed its security relationships with the region’s new military governments. It reflects on France’s military withdrawal from its former sphere of influence, how EU training missions have shifted or stalled, how Western powers have adjusted their security roles in Niger after the 2023 coup and competing intra-G20 interests. While many G20 actors claim to support democratic governance, their continued security engagement suggests a more complicated reality. The paper argues that the G20’s security approach in the Sahel often prioritises short-term stability and counterterrorism over long-term democratic accountability. It calls for a more consistent and coherent multilateral strategy that takes regional dynamics into consideration and puts greater emphasis on supporting African-led efforts for peace and security.