African leaders’ presence at the G7 summit received mixed reactions. Was it a renewed model for the G7 based on an equal partnership with Africa, or were African countries simply decorative pieces meant to help G7 leaders clear their consciences? In this interview with Bakary Sambe from the Timbuktu Institute-African Centre for Peace Studies, published by Le Point Afrique, he notes that a large amount of the pledged development aid for the Sahel has not yet materialised and decries the lack of coherence. “The Sahel is a patient around whom there are many doctors. But nobody agrees on the diagnosis,” he states. More than USD 420 million have been pledged in support of the G5 Sahel but a large share of the promised financial support has still not been received. The G5 Sahel Joint Force struggles to operate. “There is a big difference between what is happening on the ground and the promises made at meetings. Today, as terrorist groups are co-ordinating themselves, the international community is just dispersing a little more,” said Sambe.

Read the interview