About: Sahel
France threatens to pull troops out of Mali
President Emmanuel Macron warned in comments published Sunday (30 May) that France will pull its troops out of Mali if it lurches towards radical Islamism following the second coup in nine months.
Mali president, PM resign after arrest by military junta
Mali's interim president and prime minister resigned on Wednesday (26 May), a top junta aide said, two days after they were detained and stripped of their powers in what appeared to amount to the country's second coup in nine months.
‘Terrorists’ kill three European journalists in Burkina Faso
Three European journalists – two Spanish and one Irish – have been killed in an attack on an anti-poaching patrol in Burkina Faso, officials said Tuesday (27 April).
Chad bids farewell to Deby as France and allies back his son
Chad began funeral ceremonies on Friday (23 April) for veteran ruler Idriss Deby Itno, a key figure in the fight against the Sahel's jihadist insurgency, as France and regional allies voiced backing for his son and successor, Mahamat Idriss Deby.
Germany calls for closer cooperation with France over security threats
German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has called for closer bilateral cooperation with France in light of the tense security situation in Europe marked by the Russian "threat", the rise of China and spreading "Islamist terrorism" in the Sahel region. EURACTIV France reports.
Veteran Chad leader Deby dies, the military take over
Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno has died reportedly in combat just a day after securing re-election, opening a period of uncertainty in a country that is a key strategic ally of the West in a troubled region.
French MPs: Diplomacy, military slow to address climate change as driver of armed conflict
Diplomats and armed forces have been slow to address the security consequences of climate change, a French parliament fact-finding mission concluded on Wednesday (27 January). EURACTIV France reports.
UN raises $1.7 billion for hungry, displaced millions in Sahel
The United Nations raised more than $1.7 billion in pledges to fund aid efforts as UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned a "preventable tragedy is looming" in the central Sahel region.
Coronavirus or not, African migrants push on toward Europe
Many Africans are managing to evade coronavirus lockdown barriers in Niger, the Sahel's migrant crossroads, as they press on with their perilous desert trek to the Mediterranean Sea and ultimately Europe.
Europe’s role in stopping Nigeria’s ‘silent slaughter’
Murderous attacks on Christians and ethnic minorities by the Fulani and Islamic terror groups in the northern regions of Nigeria have been going on for close to two decades, leaving more than 60,000 dead.
Nigerian activists seek EU backing to end nation’s ‘silent slaughter’
Dr Richard Ikiebe has led recent efforts to get international community backing to stop nearly two decades of ethnic and religious killing in Nigeria. “Now, people are listening to us”, he says.
Macron, Sahel leaders meet to boost anti-jihadist campaign
French President Emmanuel Macron will on Monday (13 January) host counterparts from five Sahel countries seeking more backing in the fight against a murderous jihadist uprising even as France's military role is being questioned.
Europe’s invisible new border
The EU has quietly outsourced migration control to countries in North Africa and the Sahel. But the human cost is high, and many migrants still remain determined to reach Europe.
Violence flares up as Malians vote in key election
Malians voted Sunday (29 July) in a crucial presidential election as attacks disrupted polling in areas already beset by deadly ethnic and jihadist violence.
EU relies on stability in the Sahel for its own security
“Europe’s security, and that of Spain, depend on security in the Sahel," said the EU Special Representative for the Sahel, Ángel Losada. EURACTIV’s partner Euroefe reports.
African leaders set up migration body, reject EU migrant ‘platforms’
African leaders have announced the creation of a new body to help coordinate national policies on migration, but rejected EU plans to set up migrant “disembarkation platforms” on their soil.
France asks for more coordination between European expertise agencies
European expertise agencies, the kingpins of solidarity policy, want to work more together in order to establish themselves as true competitors in the face of United Nations agencies, especially in the field of security. EURACTIV.fr reports.
More funds for G5 Sahel after Brussels conference
The funds mobilised in support of the armed forces of the countries in the Sahel region amount to €414 million following the summit in Brussels. However the issue of securing funding on a long-term basis has not been solved.
Security and development join forces in the Sahel
Military matters will dominate the agenda of the summit on the Sahel region in Brussels on Friday (23 February), but there will also be talks on strengthening development aid in the region. EURACTIV.fr reports.
EU to give Sahel force funding boost
European leaders will Friday give a financial boost to a joint African force tackling jihadists in the Sahel at an international conference in Brussels, as fresh violence highlights the region's fraught security situation.
EU to lead funding demand for Sahel force
The European Commission is hoping to drum up further funds for a joint military force tasking with combating jihadist groups in the Sahel at a funding conference in Brussels on Friday (23 February).
France unveils plans for 2022 goal
The French government recently unveiled a plan to reach its goal of allocating 0.55% of gross national income to development aid by 2022, but French development aid will only start increasing from 2020. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Spain sounds alarm over fighter influx from Sahel
Spain is worried about security on its southern border due to the possible influx of Islamist fighters to West Africa's Sahel region, Spain's foreign minister told AFP in an interview yesterday (8 February).