Drawing on the lessons learned from the recurrence of crises and the persistence of conflicts in the sub-region due to the inability of states to establish lasting stability and security, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has initiated a project entitled "Security Dialogues in the Sahel-Sahara region: Rethinking the Security in the sub-region" promoting national and sub-regional dialogue on hybrid and cross-border security issues and challenges as well as the interdependencies between North and West Africa.
Most of the countries in the Sahel-Sahara region are facing political, economic, social and environmental difficulties. Material weakness of the State and failing governance, difficulties to control national territory, the porosity of borders and the increasing presence of gray areas are the underlying tensions. In addition, their economies are fragile, despite substantial natural resources, being poorly industrialized and since they suffer from weak foreign direct investments and the adverse impacts of climate change.
Beyond national peculiarities, the countries are experiencing shared and dynamic challenges and threats to security in the face of which regional actors must adopt more appropriate innovative holistic strategies. Threats are cross-border and non-state actors are multiplying and benefiting from the fragility of border areas. In Mali and Burkina Faso, for example, large territories are occupied by extremist groups while the political systems suffer from military coups and periods of constitutional transitions with uncertain outcomes (to a lesser extent in Chad). Similarly, the intensification of cultural identities on the domestic front threatens to undermine feelings of national belonging, gradually culminating in internal conflicts.
Threats and challenges to human security are interrelated and require synergy of strategies at the national, regional and international levels to promote sustainable stability and development in the Sahelo-Saharan region. Unfortunately, security cooperation in the Sahel is hampered by geostrategic rivalries and divergent perspectives on how to achieve such regional security.
The project aims to foster dialogue within the region between representatives from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. In light of the expansion of extremist threats and of insecurity towards the neighbouring countries of the Gulf of Guinea, the project "Security Dialogues in the Sahel-Sahara region: Rethinking the Security in the sub-region" will increasingly integrate southern neighbours such as Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo into its format.
On 15 November 2018, the FES PSCC hosted a get together among various Mauritanian think tanks in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott. Amongst other... More
On 15 – 16 October 2018, the FES PSCC therefore conducted the 2nd edition of the Sahel-Sahara Dialogue at Gorée Island close to Dakar on the theme:... More
The increasingly complex political and humanitarian situation in the Sahel region is one of the major concerns for peace and security. The... More
In a Sahel region beset by... More
In view of the transnational... More
ECOWAS has set up mechanisms... More
Since 2015, Burkina Faso has... More
The G5-Sahel’s four remaining... More
Since 2015, the countries... More
The security crisis that began... More
Climate change is altering... More
This training handbook for... More
Point E, Rue de Fatick x Boulevard de l'Est,
Residence Bity Lokho, 6th floor
B.P. 15 416
Dakar - Fann
Dakono, Baba
Feijó, João
Gnanguênon, Amandine
Ndiaye, Ndèye Amy
Tisseron, Antonin
Feijó, João
