Content

Event Recap

Feb 1, 2013

Managing the crisis in Mali and the Sahel

By Africa Center

The Atlantic Council’s Michael S. Ansari Africa Center hosted a discussion on the escalating crisis in Mali and the threat it poses to the neighboring countries of Sahel. Moderated by J. Peter Pham, director of the Ansari Center, the panel featured Rudolph Atallah, senior fellow of the Ansari Center; Anouar Boukhars, nonresident senior fellow of […]

Conflict Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Jan 31, 2013

Mali: Now What?

By Julian Lindley-French

Oscar Wilde once wrote “One of the many lessons that one learns in prison is that things are what they are and will be what they will be.” As I witness the French, British, and other Europeans rush to offer their very little militaries in support of an expanding Mali mission I am reminded of that […]

Sahel United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 28, 2013

Managing Mali

By J. Peter Pham

Strategically ill-conceived as it might been in a moment of panic and almost stillborn as a result of its bumpy start (thanks to diminished European military logistics capabilities), the French military intervention in Mali has nevertheless altered the dynamics in the fight against al-Qaeda’s regional affiliate. As the United States broadens the hitherto limited assistance […]

Sahel

New Atlanticist

Jan 24, 2013

The French Mess in Mali and Libya

By Rajan Menon

If you want an illustration of the law of unintended consequences, look no further than Mali. The drama that’s been unfolding there over the past nine months, and that has taken a new turn in the past week, is a perfect illustration.

France Libya

New Atlanticist

Jan 22, 2013

Malgeria: Pause, Think, Plan, Act

By Julian Lindley-French

It is being called the “soft underbelly of Europe”, an entire sub-continent from the Maghreb to the Middle East that stretches down to the transitional zone between Saharan and Sub-Saharan Africa known as the Sahel region and beyond to Nigeria.

National Security Sahel

External

Jan 21, 2013

IntelBrief: Mali: Nowhere to Go But Down

By J. Peter Pham and Bronwyn Bruton

In the latest in the series of “IntelBriefs” on African security issues being produced by the Atlantic Council’s Michael S. Ansari Africa Center in partnership with the Soufan Group, an international strategic consultancy, Ansari Center Director J. Peter Pham and Deputy Director Bronwyn Bruton argue that Mali’s plunge into failed state status has its roots […]

Sahel

New Atlanticist

Jan 16, 2013

Mali and Afghanistan: Uncanny Parallels

By Peter Pham

Analogies in international affairs are fraught with peril, but there is no denying the parallels between the situation in Afghanistan in the months and years leading up to 9/11 and recent developments in Mali.

Afghanistan Sahel

New Atlanticist

Jan 14, 2013

Mali: Another Chance to Lead from Behind

By John Deni

France’s military intervention in Mali provides Washington yet again an opportunity to show both solidarity and restraint with some of its closest, most important allies.

Sahel

New Atlanticist

Jan 14, 2013

Mali: No way to go to a war going nowhere

By J. Peter Pham

French aircraft strafed Islamist rebels in Mali for the third day in a row on Sunday. Additional French troops arrived in the West African country’s capital to shore up its rickety transitional government in the face of an offensive by the militants who seized control of northern provinces last spring and have been imposing their […]

Conflict France

Event Recap

Dec 11, 2012

Roundtable discussion with the UK prime minister’s special envoy to the Sahel

By Africa Center

The Michael S. Ansari Africa Center hosted a roundtable discussion with the Right Honourable Stephen O’Brien, MP, the UK prime minister’s special envoy to the Sahel. Since his appointment in September 2012, Mr. O’Brien’s role has been to lead the British government’s policy across that region, bridging the bureaucratic divide between the North Africa and […]

Politics & Diplomacy Sahel

Experts