High-level conference on the Sahel

The International High Level Conference on the Sahel, the African region immediately south of the Sahara desert, has mobilised €414 million to support the Joint Security Force of the G5 Sahel whilst reinforcing the coordination of sustainable development efforts in the region. The conference was co-chaired today (23 February) by the European Union, the United Nations, the African Union and the G5 Sahel group of countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger).

The EU, together with its member states, is the biggest provider of development assistance to the region with over €8 billion of funding between 2014 and 2020. Through the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa the EU supports the countries in the region in their efforts towards peace, security and development. It also has three active Common Security and Defence Policy missions: EUCAP Sahel Niger; EUCAP Sahel Mali and EU training mission (EUTM) in Mali.