Grandiose Declarations By Mali and Burkina Faso: Mind Domestic Security First

By overthrowing President Mohamed Bazoum, the Nigerien army sent a shock wave across West Africa, causing tensions with Niamey’s Western allies. Junta-led Burkina Faso and Mali warned Monday that any military intervention in Niger to restore deposed President Mohamed Bazoum would be considered a “declaration of war” against the two countries.
The joint statement by Burkina Faso and Mali, read out by Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga on Malian TV -ORTB- and which addressed the military coup in Niger and the ECOWAS ensuing sanctions sparked outrage in the media landscape. For writer Samir Moussa, this is a sheer act of bravado and a ridicule attempt to draw attention despite the countries’ troubling security situation.
The writer slammed Burkina Faso’s and Mali’s positions across West Africa. “Are we wide awake? We do not know whether to laugh or cry.” The two countries, on the verge of oblivion and absent from collective memory, are now emerging from a deep slumber and making ludicrous statements in the hope that national and international public opinion will mark their words.
Burkina Faso and Mali have to deal with terrorist militias that rule huge parts of their territories, leaving the rest in turmoil and ruin. The military leaders are chastised for their lack of competence and strategic know-how to address security concerns, said the writer, wondering “can we possibly locate Burkina Faso and Mali on the West African map? Burkina Faso and Mali are under the grip of armed gangs that have enslaved nearly all of their territory.”
On top of that, the writer underscored the leaders’ hypocrisy, indicating that they enjoy extravagant lives while their countries suffer from precariousness, a collapsing economy, and a poor education and healthcare system marked by school shutdowns and run-down community health centers.
The writer advised the leaders of the two nations to prioritize their security and start at their own backyard by taking effective steps against armed groups before getting entangled in the Nigerien crisis.
The joint statement by Burkina Faso and Mali has been interpreted as a desperate attempt to divert attention away from domestic difficulties. In this regard, Samir Moussa urged real change and a focus on internal security concerns instead of muscle flexing by Goita and Traoré.