Despite the deployment of international and regional troops to support national armed and security forces in Mali, instability has escalated and spread across borders throughout the Sahel. The Sahel countries—Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger—share not only historical trajectories, trade routes and communities, but now also a social, economic, political and human crisis. To confront these common challenges, the Sahel countries are seeking ways to combat new threats, which include violent extremism and increasing intercommunal tensions. Efforts to stabilize the region, however, are often faced by challenges stemming from weak, corrupt or absent state institutions.
In the latest Reflection film, SIPRI highlights recent research that has been conducted with partners in the region. This qualitative study was an effort to understand the perceptions of citizens, national actors and practitioners of the effect the Malian crisis has had on other countries in the Sahel.