The Joint Force of the Group of Five for the Sahel: An African-led Response to Insecurity in the Sahel

The deaths of four U.S. soldiers in Niger earlier this month have drawn attention to the deteriorating security situation in parts of the Sahel region of Sub-Saharan Africa. The attack coincided with efforts by the Sahel nations of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger to establish a joint military force to deal with terrorism and other threats to peace in the region. Foreign ministers from the contributing nations will discuss the G-5 Sahel joint force, outline its progress to date, and explain their strategy for engaging with external partners, including the United States and France.