Burundi and Mali regimes use a common tactic to stay in power: blame an external enemy
Authoritarian regimes in Burundi, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are increasingly using the tactic of blaming external enemies to maintain power and deflect from domestic instability. This trend reflects a growing solidarity among military-led governments that reject democratic norms.
Why it matters
The consolidation of power by military juntas in the Sahel and Burundi threatens regional stability and democratic governance across the African continent.
Protests in support of the military in Bamako, Mali, in August 2021. VOA (Moctar Barry) via Wikimedia Commons Burundi and Mali regimes use a common tactic to stay in power: blame an external enemy Published: July 15, 2026 9:30am EDT https://theconversation.com/burundi-and-mali-regimes-use-a-common-tactic-to-stay-in-power-blame-an-external-enemy-286184 https://theconversation.com/burundi-and-mali-regimes-use-a-common-tactic-to-stay-in-power-blame-an-external-enemy-286184 Link copied Share article Share article
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Burundi’s president Évariste Ndayishimiye made an official “friendship and working” visit to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, in April 2026. At the time, Ndayishimiye was the rotating chair of the African Union.
The visit aimed to reopen dialogue between the continental body and the Alliance of Sahel States . The alliance brings together Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It is currently chaired by Mali’s leader, Ibrahim Traoré.
The three states withdrew from African Union bodies in January 2025.
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