Common Effort Sahel Report 2021

Common Effort Sahel Report 2021
handed over to Ministries

Since 2019 the Common Effort Community has deeply elaborated on the socio-economic, environmental and governance related conflict dynamics as well as security and development connections and actions of national and international actors in the G5 Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger). The results and recommendations have been compiled in a Common Effort Sahel Report in English and French, which Commanding General of 1 German-Netherlands Corps in Münster, Lieutenant General Andreas Marlow, presented to Dutch and German Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of Defence and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development in a virtual ceremony.

On behalf of the Common Effort Community Lieutenant General Marlow expressed the Community’s wish that the recommendations will help to foster sustainable policy implementations on security, rule of law, governance and the engagement of the population in the Sahel region. Heike Thiele, German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lex Gerts (Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Rear Admiral Axel Ristau (German Ministry of Defence) and Joseph Hoenen (Dutch Ministry of Defence) as well as Stella Gaetani (German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development) expressed the high appreciation of the effort and contribution of the Common Effort Community. “This report is an amazing result of the Common Effort Community and will definitely be followed by considerations how to implement the recommendations”, all representatives of the ministries assured to the Common Effort Community.

Background
In 2019 Common Effort introduced a three-year regional focus on the G5 Sahel taking into account the foreign policy, security and development priorities of Germany and the Netherlands. The three-year focus provided the Common Effort Community the necessary time to address the complexity of the region and help the community members assess their own role regarding stabilisation in the Sahel. With regards to the overall objective to promote a comprehensive, whole-of-society approach in addressing issues of security and safety, community members adapted a broad perspective on the conflict dynamics as well as security and development connections. With the participation of government and civil society representatives from G5 Sahel countries, development workers, diplomats, policy makers and military actors discussed and provided concrete policy recommendations for the following four main themes:

• Using the Comprehensive approach to strengthen all state institutions to ensure governance & justice
• Security governance at the local level including integrated border management
• Trust and dialogue, notably involving women and youth
• Narrative management in conflict dynamics

With its findings and concrete recommendations, the Common Effort Community has provided a valuable input for stabilization in the Sahel, which may also serve as a basis for deliberations on other conflict regions. Community members and all other partners have offered their ability and willingness to continue supporting the implementation of German and Dutch policies in the Sahel.