The Sahel: Cross-border Dimension and Geopolitical Dynamics

Abstract

The Sahel region is a crossroads of interrelated challenges that accumulate a broad typology of weaknesses: underdevelopment, poverty, insecurity, corruption, ethnic conflicts, fragile states and dependent economies. All these factors make it a friction zone that can lead to diverse conflicts. The objective of this article is to identify the geopolitical factors that characterize the development and human security of this frontier region, which are preventing the Sahel countries to avoid the consideration of fragile states. The result of this study indicates that the region will not be able to transform the vulnerabilities that characterize it into positive dynamics if one does not act on three levels: population participation, institution building and cooperation promotion.