Mauritania | Rethinking Francophone Africa

Sahel

Violences au Sahel : La Mauritanie et Le Togo expriment leurs “vives préoccupations” – Read more on atlasinfo.fr

La mort du chef de l’Etat islamique au Grand Sahara : une occasion de dialogue ? – Read more on crisisgroup.org

Sahel: Barkhane poursuit ses opérations conjointes avec les forces partenaires – Read more on wakatsera.com

Niger

Three policemen killed in Niger jihadist assault – Read more on africanews.com

Le président Bazoum affronte sa première crise institutionnelle – Read more on mondafrique.com

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso – Niger : une mutualisation des efforts pour plus d’efficacité dans la lutte contre le terrorisme – Read more on koaci.com

Erdoğan meets Liberia’s Weah, leaders of Togo, Burkina Faso – Read more on dailysabah.com

Pan-African film festival opens in Burkina Faso amid COVID19 and security challenges – Read more on Reuters.com

Mali

Mali asks Muslim leaders to negotiate with al Qaeda affiliate – Read more on Reuters.com

ECOWAS delegation visits Mali, seeks assurance on elections – Read more on africanews.com

Choguel Maïga : « Notre gouvernement a compris que s’il ne compte que sur un seul partenaire, il pourra à tout moment être abandonné » – Read more on lemonde.fr

Mali’s Timbuktu fears jihadis as France reduces troops – Read more on apnews.com

Au Mali, le jeu trouble de la junte avec les mercenaires russes de Wagner – Read more on lefigaro.fr

Mali asks Islamic body to open negotiations with al-Qaeda – Read more on aljazeera.com

Resources

WATHI – Entretien avec Dieynaba Sidibé (Zeinixx), Artiste-Graffeuse- Youtube link

Operation Barkhane and the Future of Intervention in the Sahel- SWP Comment

Events

Northwestern Sahel represents one of the most unstable areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Seven years after the outbreak of the conflict in Mali, violent extremism has spread across the region, together with community conflicts over the access to natural resources and inter-ethnic violence. Trans-border activities of non-state armed actors – insurgents, jihadist groups and ethnic-based militias – as well as illicit trafficking networks feed the regional insecurity. These dynamics have boosted military and political intervention of Western actors and the development of multilateral initiatives across Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad. What are the main drivers of the instability affecting the Sahelian states? To what extent is the current security situation in the Sahel deteriorating? And what are the challenges ahead for states and international actors?