POLICY PAPER| FES PSCC Regional cooperation amidst coups, terrorism and transborder insecurity: What future for the G5-Sahel? Hendrik Sexauer July 2023 I. Introduction: The Sahel region in 2023 In February 2023, the remaining four member states of the G5-Sahel deemed the organisation ready for a dynamic restart. 1 The first high level conference since 2021 and since Mali’s withdrawal demanded international as well as regional mobilization to boost the organisation. However, the G5-Sahel finds itself in no easy position and is most times labelled: ineffective. According to Giovanie Biha, deputy head of the UN office for West Africa and the Sahel, more than 10,000 schools and nearly 7,000 health centers were shut down by 2023 across the Sahel region. 6 million people are displaced, and 18.6 million people are suffering from severe food insecurity in the region. She highlighted the region’s “unprecedented levels of security and humanitarian challenges, socio-political instability, further compounded by the impact of climate change, and food insecurity which was exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine.” 2 In addition, terrorism, illicit activities and tensions between communities are spreading. In particular the border region between Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, the Liptako­Gourma region, is central to rebels’ and extremists’ arms trafficking. 3 Unmet basic needs“such as protection, water, sanitation, healthcare, and unresolved conflicts among local com­munities” only increase the persuasiveness of violent extremism, 4 while political systems suffer from a persis­tent crisis of trust, legitimacy and efficiency. 5 The concept of good governance is largely missing. 6 State and policy shortcomings revolve around structural marginalization and weak levels of political participation and weak insti­tutional capacity opposed to elite capture and political conflict. 7 A fast-growing population, despite proliferating inter-communal violence and violent extremism, and low economic productivity, further exacerbates these shortcomings. 8