Dr. Mohamed IBN Chambas, the African Union Chief Mediator in Sudan, highlighted several factors contributing to insecurity in the Sahel region, including weak governance and corruption. Speaking as a guest lecturer at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Inaugural Annual International Lecture in Abuja, Chambas emphasized that a military solution alone would not resolve the underlying issues.
He noted that weak governance and corruption have fostered an environment conducive to insecurity. The vastness of the Sahel region, with numerous ungoverned spaces, has further exacerbated the rising insecurity levels.
Chambas identified the crises in Libya, Sudan, and Mali as contributing factors to the challenges faced in the Sahel. He also pointed out that foreign interference and external forces have exploited the situation for their interests.
Addressing the environmental concerns, he remarked that the shrinking of the Lake Chad Basin, particularly Lake Chad itself, has inflicted more harm than good in the region. Chambas advocated for efforts to effectively cut off or address the financing and supply networks of terrorist groups.
The lecture’s theme, “Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts and Options,” was part of NAN’s initiative to tackle insecurity in the Sahel and Nigeria.
Chambas commended Nigeria’s efforts to address the farmers/herders crisis, particularly the establishment of the livestock ministry. He also urged ECOWAS to resist the restriction of movement for people from the three member states that withdrew from the regional body.