In 2021, 2022, and 2023, military officers seized power through coups d’état in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, respectively, promising the population better governance, the protection of human rights, and an end to the armed conflict that has raged in the region since its outbreak in Mali in 2012. These initial promises have given way to a deeply troubling reality: authoritarian governance without political opposition; the systematic repression of critical voices; and increasingly intense and deadly armed conflicts for the civilian population. This document aims to synthesize the main concerns related to civic space and armed conflict in the Central Sahel and to present recommendations addressed to African political figures, civil society, and regional and continental organizations to support and encourage respect for international human rights law and international humanitarian law in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
