At the 52nd Ordinary Session of the CILSS Council of Ministers, held on 11 March in Nouakchott, members made important decisions about CILSS leadership positions. CILSS Executive Secretary Djimé Adoum will resume his duties at the end pf March 2017. The vacant position of the Institute of the Sahel (INSAH), a specialised agency of CILSS based in Bamako, will be filled by Mauritanian Mohamed Abdellai Ebbe. As for the Agrhymet Regional Centre, based in Niamey, CILSS will start the recruitment process for a new general director as soon as possible. Read on

On 25 February 2017, Morocco officially asked the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to become a full member. Morocco has been an observer to ECOWAS and has developed strong political, human, historical, religious and economic ties at all levels with ECOWAS member countries. Read on

On Monday, 6 February, the G5 Sahel heads of state met for their sixth extra-ordinary summit on the theme, “The security situation in Mali and its impact on the Sahel.” The meeting took place against a background in which Mali's peace agreement is breaking down; there are persistent terrorist attacks and, in recent months, there have been many operations in neighbouring countries. Among the measures mentioned, the G5 leaders emphasised the implementation of a joint force. Read on

The murderous attack on the Joint Operational Mechanism base in Gao on 18 January threatens to undermine efforts to achieve peace in Mali. The attack, which killed nearly 80 people and injured more than 100, targeted a key feature of the Algiers peace agreement: joint patrols. These patrols, which bring together soldiers from the Malian military, members of the Co-ordination of Azawad Movements as well as from several militia groups, are aimed at securing areas that are currently beyond the control of authorities, particularly in the north. Read on