Risks and Threats in the Western Sahel. Radicalization and Terrorism in the Sub-Region

• Author: Carlos Echeverría Jesús
• Position: Professor of International Relations. Open University, UNED, Madrid, Spain.
• Pages: 167-183

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 3, janvier-décembre 2015, pp. 167-183

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.25267/Paix_secur_ int.2015.i3.08

167

RISKS AND THREATS IN THE WESTERN SAHEL

RADICALIZATION AND TERRORISM IN THE SUB-REGION

CARLOS ECHEVERRÍA JESÚS1

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE WESTERN SAHEL SUB-REGION – II. RISKS

AND THREATS BEFORE AND AFTER THE DIRECT IMPACT OF THE ARAB

REVOLTS AND THE WAR IN LIBYA - III.THE EVOLUTION IN THE AREA –

IV. CONCLUSIONS.

ABSTRACT: This article addresses the most important security challenges existing in the Western

Sahel countries, an emerging sub-region encompassing Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and

Niger. The sub-region is very much affected by developments in neighboring countries such as

Algeria, Libya, and Nigeria, among others. A number of recent processes – the Arab revolts and

their effects in Libya and Egypt, the reinforcement of Boko Haram as a regional terrorist threat, etc

– have contributed to aggravate insecurity in a region that suffers environmental problems, political

instability, inter-communitarian tensions and illegal traff‌i cking since a number of decades ago. All

these risks and threats are inviting states and international organizations to become more and more

involved in order to provide responses and, eventually, solutions.

KEYWORDS: Al Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Ansar Eddine; Boko

Haram; CEMOC (Coordination of Major Staffs from Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Mauritania); G-5

Sahel Organization; illegal traff‌i cking; MINUSMA (United Nations Mission for the Stabilization

of Mali); MUJAO (Movement for Unity and Jihad in Western Africa).

RIESGOS Y AMENAZAS EN EL SAHEL OCCIDENTAL. RADICALIZACIÓN Y

TERRORISMO EN LA SUBREGIÓN

RESUMEN: Este artículo se ocupa de los desafíos de seguridad más importantes que podemos

inventariar en los países del Sahel Occidental, una subregión emergente que incluye a Burkina Faso,

Chad, Malí, Mauritania y Níger. La subregión se ve muy afectada por los procesos que se viven en

países vecinos como Argelia, Libia y Nigeria, entre otros. Algunos procesos recientes – las revueltas

árabes y sus efectos en Libia y Egipto, el reforzamiento de Boko Haram como amenaza terrorista

regiona, etc – han contribuido a incrementar la inseguridad en una región que ya sufre desde hace

décadas problemas medioambientales, inestabilidad política, tensiones intercomunitarias y tráf‌i cos

ilícitos. Todos estos riesgos y amenazas invitan a los Estados y a las Organizaciones Internacionales

a involucrarse cada vez más en el esfuerzo para encontrar respuestas y eventualmente soluciones

a los mismos.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Al Qaida en las Tierras del Magreb Islámico (AQMI); Ansar Eddine; Boko

Haram; CEMOC o Coordinación de Estados Mayores de Argelia, Níger, Malí y Mauritania); Misión

1 Professor of Inter national Relations. Open University, UNED, Madrid, Spain.

Risks and Threats in the Western Sahel. Radicalization and Terrorism in the Sub-Region

Paix et Securité Internationales

ISSN 2341-0868, Num. 3, janvier-décembre 2015, pp. 167-183

168

de las Naciones Unidas para la Estabilización de Malí (MINUSMA); Movimiento para la Unicidad

del Islam y el Yihad en África Occidental (MUYAO); Organización G-5 del Sahel; tráf‌i cos ilícitos.

RISQUES ET MÉNACES DANS LE SAHEL OCCIDENTAL. RADICALISATION ET

TERRORISME DANS LA SUB-REGION

RÉSUMÉ: Cet article s’ ocupe des déf‌i s de sécurité les plus importantes qu’ on trouve dans la

sub-région du du Sahel Occidentale (le Burkina Faso, le Tchad, le Mali, la Mauritanie et le Nïger).

Cette sub-région deviens très touchée par les processus vécus en Algérie, en Libye et au Nigéria,

parmis des autres pays voisins. Quelques evénements tels que les revoltes arabes dans la Libye

ou en Egypte et aussi le renforcement de Boko Haram en tant que groupe terroriste de dimension

régionale ont contribué à aggraver l’ insécurité dans la région. En plus, les pays du Sahel Occidentale

sont affectés depuis des decenies par des problèmes tels que les crises environmentales, l’ instabilité

politique, les tensions inter-communitaires et les traff‌i cs illicites. Tels risques et telles ménaces

invitent les états et les organisations internationales à designer des réponses et, eventuellement, des

solutions a ceux problèmes.

MOTS CLEFS: Al Qaida dans le Maghreb Islamique (AQMI); Ansar Eddine; Boko Haram;

CEMOC (Coordination des états-majors de l’ Algérie, le Mali, la Mauritanie et le Niger); Mission

des Nations unis pour la Stabilisation du Mali (MINUSMA); Mouvement pour l’ Unicité et pour le

Jihad dans l’ Afrique Occidentale (MUJAO); Organisation du G-5 Sahel; traff‌i cs illicites.

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE WESTERN SAHEL SUB-REGION

In security terms, the Western Sahel is a more than 3 million of square kilometers

arid belt south of the Sahara where Jihadist Salaf‌i st terrorists and traff‌i ckers, among

other threats, operate. These have been and remain much more concentrated in the

Western Sahel, where they represent a threat for the African and Western countries.

The Western Sahel sub-region is involving the f‌i ve countries belonging to the G-5

Sahel Organization which was born in Nouakchott on 18 February 2014.2 The

building up of this International Organization is an additional effort in order to

improve coordination on security and development among the countries of the

Western Sahel.

The f‌i ve countries and a number of neighbors (mainly Ivory Coast, Libya,

Algeria or Nigeria, among others) we will deal with later must confront organized

2 Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. Mauritania has the Presidency of the G-5 Sahel

Organization this year, and Chad will lead it in 2015. Other sub-regional organizations active in the area

are the Senegal River Organization (involving Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal), and the 27 states’ Sahel

and Sahara Community (CEN-SAD). The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS),

involving 15 states, will be addressed in other chapter of this article. Finally, the 13 states Committee

of States Fighting Ag ainst the Drought and Desertif‌i cation in the Sahel (CILSS, in its French acronym)

is not a strong organization able to deal with security and defense matters.