The Sahel

The Sahel is an African region stretching from Mauritania on the Atlantic coast to the Red Sea. Due to its arid climate, the region often suffers from droughts and is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change. The Sahel is further plagued by political instability due to inter-communal conflicts and the presence of terrorist groups, but recent years have seen mass protests and regional interventions bring some positive developments to the region.

Content

AfricaSource

Dec 10, 2018

Looking for unity in the Sahel

By Matthieu Fernandez

Recognizing the transborder nature of the security, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges facing them – ranging from terrorism to criminal trafficking to a major unemployment crisis – Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad banded together in 2014 to form the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel). While Western donor nations celebrated this initiative as a proof of the nations’ mutual commitment to improving the security situation in the region, in reality, the G5 Sahel remains heavily reliant on France and other international donors for funding and operational and logistic capacity, and exercises little decision-making power.

Africa English

AfricaSource

Oct 4, 2018

Notes for understanding African migration

By J. Peter Pham

This article appeared originally in French in the current print edition of the magazine Pouvoirs d’Afrique. This past summer, one could not help but wonder as the leaders of Europe and Africa, in separate meetings, seemed to talk past one another as they sought to deal with what has become one of the most significant—if […]

Africa English

In the News

Sep 13, 2018

Pham Joins RFI to Discuss CIA Presence in Niger

By J. Peter Pham

Listen to the full discussion here.

North & West Africa Sahel

In the News

Aug 15, 2018

Pham Joins BBC Radio to Discuss the Mali Elections

By J Peter Pham

Listen to the full discussion here

Sahel

AfricaSource

Aug 13, 2018

After Mali’s runoff, challenges remain

By J. Peter Pham

As the attempts by militants to disrupt the democratic process underscored, the security situation in Mali, especially the sparsely-populated northern expanses of the country, remains precarious.

Africa Elections

In the News

Aug 10, 2018

Pham Joins VOA to Discuss Zimbabwe and Mali Elections

By J. Peter Pham

Listen to the full discussion here.

Sahel South & Central Africa

AfricaSource

Jul 30, 2018

Why Mali’s election matters

By J. Peter Pham

While the July 30, 2018, general election in Zimbabwe—the first in almost four decades where longtime ruler Robert Mugabe won’t be on the ballot—has been attracting a great deal more attention, the presidential election in Mali one day earlier matters just as much and, arguably, is even more important to the security and geopolitical interests […]

Africa Elections

In the News

Jul 17, 2018

Englebert Quoted in African Arguments on Mali’s 2018 Presidential Election

By Pierre Englebert

Read the full article here.

Sahel

Event Recap

Jun 8, 2018

Discussion on communal violence, security threats, and elections in Mali

By Africa Center

On Friday, June 8, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center, in collaboration with the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM), hosted a discussion on USHMM’s new report: Regions at Risk: Preventing Mass Atrocities in Mali. The event featured the report’s authors, Mr. Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim, early warning […]

Africa Conflict

Event Recap

Mar 5, 2018

Malian officials discuss the security situation in the Sahel

By Africa Center

On Monday, March 5, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted a roundtable with Brigadier General Oumar Dao, military chief of staff to the President of the Republic of Mali, and the Honorable Karim Keïta, chairman of the National Commission for Defense, Security, and Civil Protection of the National Assembly of the Republic of Mali. Dr. […]

Africa Conflict
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Abdoul Salam Bello

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Africa Center

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Rose Keravuori

Nonresident Senior Fellow

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Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo

Nonresident Senior Fellow, N7 Initiative

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Rama Yade

Senior Director, Africa Center

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