Over the last years Sahel has been recognized as one of the world’s most fragile regions due to persistent presence and activity of radical militant groups linked to al Quaeda and the Islamic State. However, the recent events have shown clearly that terrorism is not the only problem of violence-driven Sahel. Insecurity and ethnic conflicts spreading across all Sahel countries hinder the economic and human development bringing about unprecedented displacements and humanitarian crises
ZBN Analysis no. 7(46) / 2019
5 July 2019
Over the last years Sahel has been recognized as one of the world’s most fragile regions due to persistent presence and activity of radical militant groups linked to al Quaeda and the Islamic State. However, the recent events have shown clearly that terrorism is not the only problem of violence-driven Sahel. Insecurity and ethnic conflicts spreading across all Sahel countries hinder the economic and human development bringing about unprecedented displacements and humanitarian crises. Despite the deployment of international troops in the framework of multiple regional security initiatives, international presence does not live up to the expectations of local communities. This analysis is focused on the current situation in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.