The Sahel’s current situation and its relationship with the European Union, discussed in Casa África

Today, Casa África hosted a conference with the special representative of the European Union for the Sahel, Ángel Losada. The seasoned diplomat’s talk was on the relationship between the two regions: The Sahel and the European Union. The special representative was introduced by the director general of Casa África, Luis Padrón.

The Sahel countries face significant challenges such as extreme poverty, internal tensions, institutional weaknesses, climate change, food crisis, fragile governments, illegal trafficking and violent extremism. The EU and its Member States have expressed their concern at the situation in the area through humanitarian aid and development support as well as through three missions of the Common Security and Defence Policy to Mali and Niger. The Council of Europe also adopted a Regional Plan of Action for the Sahel last year, which lasts until 2020 and sets the general framework for the implementation of the EU Strategy for Security and Development in the Sahel. This strategy is structured along four lines of action: development, good governance and internal conflict resolution; political and diplomatic action; security and rule of law; and the fight against radicalization and violent extremism. It also has the aims of “addressing the root causes of extreme poverty” and “creating the conditions for economic opportunity and human development”, as well as ensuring the necessary security conditions. This is the first integrated approach strategy developed for a region of the world by the European External Action Service.