Whenever feasible, European nations ought to continue their involvement in the Sahel. The area is bordered by Europe; competing foreign powers have little compunction about widespread violations of human rights; and further disengagement would simply give bad actors additional opportunities to enter the region. This entails openly admitting previous mistakes in the Sahel, uniting behind a fresh approach to engagement, and lending assistance to the governments of the Gulf of Guinea. Financial support for anti-disinformation initiatives should be a priority.
https://ecfr.eu/publication/aligned-in-the-sand-how-europeans-can-help-stabilise-the-sahel