Oct 31, 2019 | Mali, Menas Associates, Sahara
The root of the failure of France’s Operation Barkhane in the Sahel is Paris’ inability to understand not just the political stakes but also the motivations that push hundreds of young people to join jihadism. Since France sent its troops to Mali in January 2013,...
Sep 19, 2019 | Mali, Menas Associates, Sahara
Mahmoud Dicko: from religous leader to politician? Mahmoud Dicko — who stood down in April after 11 years as president of the High Islamic Council of Mali — appears to be a resurgent force in Malian politics. Back in 2010, he was preaching against the high levels of...
Jul 24, 2019 | Mauritania, Menas Associates, Sahara
Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould el-Ghazouani becomes Mauritania’s new president As expected President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz’s chosen successor, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed Ould el-Ghazouani (b.1956), won the 22 June presidential election....
Jun 27, 2019 | Menas Associates, Sahara
The combatting of alleged ‘Islamist guerrillas’, ‘terrorists’ and ‘jihadists’ in the Sahel region has become a thriving business for private security companies. Many countries, as well as the United Nations, call on them to fulfil a range of functions ranging from...
May 29, 2019 | Menas Associates, Sahara, Sahel
Jihadist groups are increasingly threatening the Gulf of Guinea (source: Bloomberg) Counter-terrorist operations continue to grip much of the Sahel, namely Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso. But jihadist groups are now beginning to move southwards and gain ground in...
May 15, 2019 | Menas Associates, Sahel
Jeremy Keenan, Menas’ Sahel expert, recently spoke at the ISOA-SCEG Stabilization and Security Conference on the political and security risks in the Sahel. From Mauritania to Sudan, Algeria to Burkina Faso, the vast Sahel covers an area that is almost as large...
