Linking security and development – A Plea for the Sahel

The situation in the Sahel has worsened significantly in the last ten years, especially in the area of security. Great swathes of land have fallen into a vicious cycle where poverty and insecurity are mutually reinforcing. Unless local authorities and the international community take concerted and decisive action, these areas could succumb to a series of conflicts from which they will struggle to emerge. A permanent crisis, driven by mutually reinforcing poverty, criminal activity and armed conflict, comes at an exorbitantly steep cost. This plea calls for significant evolutions in the European and French development policies for the Sahel. They should be robust, aligned with the region’s real security challenges, and reflect the diverse realities on the ground. For the purpose of this report, the term “Sahel” is understood as the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger).