Research platform on Security Dynamics in the Maghreb and the Sahel.

The last years the Sahel and Maghreb regions have been drawn closer together in terms of security and stability by a number of events such as the collapse of Libya and the current peace process in Mali, led by Algeria. Increased migration flows to Europe from among others West Africa via the Sahel region and North Africa have further underlined the close links between developments in the Sahel and the Maghreb, as well as the impact of these developments on Europe. Also increased activity by radical groups illustrated by the terrorist attacks in, inter alia, Bamako in November 2015, Ouagadougou January 2016 and Côte d'Ivoire March 2016 is a testimony of the security dynamics in the Sahel and the Maghreb. The relations and possible competition between different terror groups such as Al Qaida affiliated groups, ISIL/Daesh, Boko Haram, etc. remain to be further analysed. In addition, long standing challenges in the Sahel and the Maghreb region such as socio-economic underdevelopment, climate change, population growth as well as weak state and governance institutions and presence remain root causes for inter alia migration flows and increased radicalization.

At the same time it has become increasingly clear that many of the challenges in the broader Sahel region related to migration, terrorism, radicalization, organized crime, etc. are transnational in nature and can only be solved through regional cooperation. Recognizing this the countries in the region have taken steps to strengthen regional cooperation, among others, by creating the regional structure G5 Sahel in February 2014. Important questions related to inter alia scope, division of labour between the G5 Sahel, AU and ECOWAS, as well as possibilities to ensure cooperation between the Sahel and the Maghreb, however, remain.

The new developments have contributed to putting the Sahel and Maghreb region at the top of the international and European agenda. With the collapse of Libya, the Sahel is only 1 border from Europe and challenges related to stability, migration and violent extremism in the broader Sahel have a direct impact on European foreign policy interests. The security dynamics in the Sahel and the Maghreb therefore also call for a response from European leaders. In this regard the EU in April 2015 adopted the Sahel Regional Action Plan 2015-2020, which provides an overall framework for the EU's efforts to ensure security and development in the Sahel. Also the UN and the AU have developed action plans for the Sahel region.