According to a policy brief by the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), recent political developments in the Sahel, particularly the coup in Niger in 2023, have highlighted the shortcomings of Europe’s current security-focused engagement in the region and call for a strategic rethink. It draws attention to how decades of security collaboration between the EU and the US, which was originally focused on counterterrorism and partnering with obedient regimes, have deteriorated since those partnerships broke down, causing Europe to reevaluate how it approaches regional security aid. In order to better address the complex crises facing the Sahel, the brief recommends that future European strategies should take into consideration shifting political realities, prioritize flexible and politically aware security cooperation, and strike a balance between military assistance and initiatives for development, resilience-building, and diplomacy.
https://www.diis.dk/en/research/rethinking-europes-approach-to-a-defiant-sahel