OUAGADOUGOU: The military governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have formally accused Ukraine of supporting rebel groups in the Sahel region and have submitted a joint letter to the United Nations Security Council calling for international accountability, Mali’s foreign ministry said.
The letter, dated August 19 and circulated to the 15-member Security Council the following day, accuses Ukraine of providing “open and assumed support for terrorism internationally, particularly in the Sahel.” The three countries have requested that the UN “take responsibility” for Ukraine’s actions and take measures to prevent further “subversive acts” that threaten regional and continental stability.
Mali’s foreign ministry has posted the letter on its social media platforms, highlighting the formal nature of the complaint. The situation reflects a growing rift between these West African nations and Ukraine, fueled by recent comments from a Ukrainian military spokesperson.
In late July, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, spoke to Ukrainian media about ongoing conflicts in northern Mali. He mentioned that rebels had received “all the necessary information” to conduct successful operations against Russian forces and Wagner Group mercenaries, who have been active in the region.
Mali interpreted these remarks as evidence of direct Ukrainian involvement in the conflict, leading to accusations of support for terrorist groups.
In response to the comments, Mali’s military government severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine in early August, a decision quickly followed by Niger. The junta governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which signed a mutual defence pact last year, have since expressed their discontent with Ukraine’s alleged actions.
Ukraine has rejected the allegations as baseless, describing the decisions by Mali and Niger as “short-sighted and hasty.” The Ukrainian government has consistently denied providing support to rebel groups, while Tuareg rebels in the region have also denied receiving any aid from Kyiv.
A Western security source, speaking to French news agency AFP, confirmed that there have been contacts between Ukrainian military authorities and Malian separatists, though it was not clear what form this support might have taken. The source emphasized that there is no evidence of a Ukrainian military presence on the ground.
The UN Security Council, however, does not have the mandate to adjudicate disputes between states. For their complaint to gain traction, the West African countries would need to pursue international legal channels, according to Johann Soufi, a lawyer specializing in international relations.
Soufi said that the letter is primarily intended to exert pressure on Ukraine and communicate the juntas’ position to both the international community and domestic audiences. The ongoing conflict in the Sahel, coupled with Russia’s increasing influence in the region, has intensified geopolitical dynamics in West Africa and beyond.
