Publication of the I Sahel Europe Dialogue Forum
2 July 2021
The geographical proximity of these three regions defines a dynamic set of threats and opportunities, but does not constitute an organised triangle of cooperation. Rather, independent vectors are recorded through Europe-Maghreb and Europe-Sahel relations, both of which are institutional in nature, with Maghreb-Sahel interactions limited to bilateral state-to-state relations. Although the Sahel has achieved a certain degree of regional organisation through the G5 Sahel, it could be argued that the institutional Maghreb does not exist in practice.
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Lead researchers:
Julio Herráiz España, is Spain's Special Mission Ambassador for the Sahel, a member of the Expert Group Sahel-Europe Dialogue Forum.
Expert contributors who assisted in the drafting of this document:
Nizar Derdabi, is an independent analyst in international strategy, with 17 years of experience in the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie, and a member of the Expert Group Sahel-Europe Dialogue Forum.
Javier Albaladejo, former coordinating advisor to the Ministry of the Interior in the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU and analyst at the IPI-UFV International Security Centre.
This analysis is part of an ongoing line of research by the International Security Centre on the Sahel. Following the Sahel-Europe Dialogue Forum organised in March 2021, speakers belonging to the Sahel- Europe Dialogue Forum Expert Group have deepened the themes of their conferences, analysing the shared challenges, and the opportunities for cooperation on our common challenges. The political crises in Mali and Chad link the security crisis to governance challenges in these states, where the presence of self-defence militias and jihadist groups hinder economic and social development. In such a changing environment, with the Sahel being Europe's advanced frontier, it is now more important than ever to promote a space for dialogue in which both regions can share, cooperate and propose innovative solutions. This series of publications, as well as the Sahel-Europe Dialogue Forum, have received a grant from the General Secretariat for Defence Policy of the Ministry of Defence.
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