2020: A year of major conflicts, coups in Sahel region

Ahmed Adel

Major incidents took place in the Sahel and Sahara region in 2020, which brought it at the center of attention around the world.

A military coup took place in Mali and the commander of al-Qaeda in the Arab Maghreb was killed during that year.

The same year also witnessed a tough competition between al-Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the region.

Several conferences were held to discuss international support for the countries of the region. The conferences demonstrated the presence of interest on the part of the international community to bring about security and stability to the Sahel and the Sahara.

Pau summit

The southwestern French city of Pau hosted a summit on the region in January 2020. The summit was organized by the international coalition for the Sahel which consists of France, the European Union, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The five states of the Sahel region want to increase coordination among their intelligence agencies with the aim of fighting terrorism and avoiding unrest.

The army commanders and intelligence chiefs of the five states agreed to intensify cooperation with their partner countries in fighting terrorism and organized crimes.

Military coup in Mali

The president of Mali stepped down on August 19, 2020. He dissolved the parliament after he was arrested by a group of rebel army officers. The coup against the Malian president was denounced by the international community.

The international community also warned against chaos in Mali as a result of the coup. Mali is important in that it takes center stage in the fight against terrorism in the region.