(REF SH23) Roundtable with the High Representative of the Coalition for the Sahel, Dr Djimé Adoum, High Representative, Coalition for the Sahel.

“The real Southern Frontier of Europe,” as EU Special Representative for the Sahel Emanuela del Re describes the region, is central to the transit of goods and people between the continents. The Sahel is home to some of the world’s least developed and youngest nations with 50% of its inhabitants less than 15 years of age.

Often cited as the region with significant concurrent development challenges, countries in the region often experience fragile governance (Mali, Chad and Sudan each have transitional governments) which results in limited delivery of public services from education and healthcare, to peace and security. “The Sahel is a microcosm of cascading global risks converging in one region,” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said.

Climate change adds a new dimension to challenges in the Sahel, sending semi-nomadic livestock herding and farming practices to the brink and forcing communities to overuse the resources of their land. COVID-19 has further exacerbated these vulnerabilities, adding pressure to the economic and health challenges, while pushing an additional six million people into extreme poverty.

Since 2014, the countries of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad have joined forces under the “G5 Sahel” umbrella, and the Sahel Coalition was launched in 2020 to coordinate regional responses to the intersecting security and development challenges, which combine to make the Sahel a unique opportunity to achieve significant progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

This session will explore:

• Poliy responses by individual member states and regional bodies
• Opportunities for increased international support and funding priorities
• Roadmaps toward stronger, more ambitious partnerships with the Sahel
• Priority areas of cooperation, research and development partnerships
• Climate change and its impact on security in the sub-region
• Short and medium-term economic growth and job creation opportunities
• Boosting regional economic integration through innovative financing mechanisms