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.