The initiative envisages expanding the commitment beyond the so-called G5 countries of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso to the coastal states of Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo and Benin. This is the BMZ’s reaction to the spread of “extremist and criminal groups” in the region.
“Should state-free spaces continue to spread on our neighboring African continent, this would have serious humanitarian effects in the region and could increasingly pose security challenges for Europe,” the paper says.
One of the focal points of development cooperation is the creation of job opportunities, “e.g. in the processing of agricultural products, in crop protection, in the construction trade or in the construction of infrastructure such as water pumps”. In addition, social security systems are to be established or strengthened.
The BMZ is also striving for closer coordination between donors in the region. In order to promote international cooperation in the Sahel, Schulze will therefore run for the chair of the Sahel Alliance. The general assembly of the development policy donor body will take place in Mauritania in the summer.
Last year, the federal government decided to end the deployment of the Bundeswehr in Mali by May 2024. The reason for this are tensions with the military junta there, which, from Germany’s point of view, repeatedly hinders the UN mission Minusma there.
For years, Mali has been the scene of a rebellion by Islamist extremists that began in the north of the country in 2012 and later spread to neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso.
