The Foreign Desk Explainer 503: Why is the US making nice with West African juntas?
Feb 4, 2026
They unpack Washington’s sudden outreach to West Africa’s military rulers and why timing feels surprising. Listeners hear the backstory of recent coups and the rise of new junta leaders. The discussion covers US history of dealing with unsavoury regimes and a strategy to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
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Burkina Faso Ends Party Politics
- Burkina Faso abolished over 100 political parties after successive coups in 2022, concentrating power under Captain Ibrahim Traore.
- Andrew Mueller highlights the loss of political pluralism and the oddity of never resolving minor party schisms like between two ecologist groups.
US Reengages With West African Juntas
- The US has surprisingly begun courting military juntas in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso despite democracy declines.
- Mueller frames this as continuation of a long American pattern of pragmatic engagement with unsavoury regimes.
Diplomatic Tone Shift Toward Sovereignty
- Nick Cheka, head of the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, visited Mali and will engage the region, signalling a diplomatic shift.
- The State Department emphasised respect for sovereignty and regretted past policy missteps to reset relations with the juntas.