A new cross-border citizens’ movement, the Alliance of Democrats of the Sahel, was launched on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, bringing together Civil society actors, political figures and activists from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Formed from abroad, the coalition aims to counter the influence of the military juntas governing the three countries under the Alliance of Sahel States.
The ADS, which currently claims about 30 members, is advocating an end to what it describes as the “militarization of the state” and is positioning itself as a platform to advance inclusive solutions to the region’s prolonged political and security crisis.
Its emergence follows the creation of the Coalition of Forces for the Republic, a Malian-led initiative spearheaded by influential imam Mahmoud Dicko.
While the CFR focuses primarily on domestic opposition within Mali, the ADS says it is designed to complement such efforts by expanding coordination across the wider Sahel region.
Speaking to RFI, the group’s Secretary General Malick Konaté underscored the coalition’s regional scope. “The CFR is solely Malian, composed only of Malian actors, and its actions concern only Mali and not the other two countries,” he said. “Our alliance brings together all three countries… so that is the difference.”
Konaté emphasized that the coalition seeks to build what he described as a “synergy of action” across national borders. “Those who fight within their own countries will continue that struggle.
But for us, it is about achieving a synergy of action across the Sahel,” he stated. “We need to move towards coordination between our three countries to make our voices heard, at the very least, for the return to constitutional order.”
The formation of the ADS comes amid deepening political uncertainty in the Sahel, where military-led governments have tightened their grip on power, raising concerns among pro-democracy groups about governance, civil liberties and the region’s long-term stability.