Author: Andrew Lebovich
Affiliation: Policy Fellow
Organization/Publisher: European Council on Foreign Relations
Date/Place: August 26, 2020/ Berlin, Germany
Type of Literature: Analysis
Number of Pages: 28
Keywords: Regional Alliances, Sahel, G5, P3S
Brief:
This policy brief is commissioned to analyze the role of regional alliances in the Sahel region. Due to security challenges and political problems that the Sahel faces, in 2017 traditional dominating powers France and Germany established a regional alliance called G5. The G5 countries’ initiative (encompassing Mauritania, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger) was founded to work together to promote development and “quick-impact” projects and bring peace into the region. This brief additionally examines two subsequent initiatives: the Partnership for Security and Stability in the Sahel (P3S) and the Coalition for the Sahel. However, despite the number of alliances, weak links between alliances and failing to move from hypothetical to actual cooperation in strategic operations has resulted in an alliance that doesn’t exist in reality. Furthermore, the G5 Alliance failed to achieve its intended security goals, which has brought some key states in the Alliance to conclude that it must work on increasing financial support and security of local states before returning such responsibilities to state institutions in the Sahel region. By that, to achieve the goals of the Sahel Alliance, France, Germany, the EU, and other partners must apply these policies: improving civilian protections and meeting key governance benchmarks including withdrawing financial support from government and military officers who commit abuses; ensuring strong coordination between different programs and allocating actual institutional authority; expanding multilateral military training when needed, including the requirement that trainers accompany partner security forces into the field in order to prevent abuses against civilians; and using sanctions, including punitive measures, against government authorities and security forces who collaborate with “non-state armed groups” or are otherwise involved in crimes against local civilians.
By: Imad Atoui, CIGA Research Associate
