Maghreb-Sahel

In 2024, CMI launched a regional project encompassing the Maghreb and Sahel regions, with a view to overcoming siloed approaches to peace and security in the Sahelo-Saharan space. Indeed, recent years have illustrated the need to review analytical frameworks and approaches to peace, security and stability in this space.

Our work

The Maghreb-Sahel project provides a regional framework for CMI’s work in the region, geared towards supporting national transitions and informal regional dialogue, with three components: 1) Maghreb-Sahel: supporting cooperation and future-looking policymaking for stability in the Sahelo-Saharan space; 2) Libya: supporting understanding and dialogue around the country’s economy; 3) Central Sahel: exploring non-military approaches to address security challenges.

The regional project builds on CMI’s past and ongoing work in North Africa, especially in Libya, and West Africa (more information available here). In Libya, CMI has been working since 2015 to support dialogue initiatives at different levels on issues central to the advancement of political processes, such as the inclusion of women and their political participation, the role of political parties, the governance of natural resources, social cohesion, and the issue of national reconciliation. These efforts have allowed to support the agency of Libyan stakeholders, trust-building and cooperation among various communities and social, political and other influential actors in the country.