The military landscape across Pan-African nations is currently marked by significant developments that highlight shifts in regional alliances and growing tensions.

1. Alliance of Sahel States: In West Africa, three military juntas—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—have formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a mutual defense pact aimed at bolstering security cooperation in the region. This alliance emerges against the backdrop of increasing instability and strained relations with Western powers, particularly France. The AES signifies a profound geopolitical shift as these nations withdraw from traditional alliances like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and seek to address their security challenges independently. The alliance is also seen as a response to the persistent threats posed by Islamist insurgents and internal political unrest within these countries.
2. Kenya’s Strategic Role: In East Africa, Kenya is being positioned as a key military player with the support of Western nations, particularly the United States. Recently, Kenya has taken on international peacekeeping roles, including deployments in Somalia and Haiti. This support is part of a broader strategy by Western powers to establish Kenya as a regional leader, especially in light of the shifting dynamics in West Africa. However, Kenya’s growing military prominence is viewed by some as a counterbalance to the rising influence of Pan-Africanism championed by the military juntas in the Sahel. [Afrotropical MilBlogger]

These developments illustrate the complex and evolving nature of military and geopolitical alliances in Africa, reflecting broader struggles for autonomy and regional influence in the face of external pressures and internal challenges.