African Sahel Conference : Lack of Stability in Libya Impacts Sahel Region.

Brussels, 26 February 2018(Lana) Participants in the African Sahel High Level Conference at the end of their meeting pledged 414 million Euros to support a joint security force for the Sahel quintuple group. The conference hosted by the EU and chaired by the UN, AU, and the Sahel states, issued a communiqué in which they stated that the Sahel countries were still faced with a number of challenges including repeated terrorist acts. The conference is a continuation of high level activities carried out over the last weeks including the Sahel Group Summit held in Niger in Feb 6, and has helped the international community concentrate their attention on three main areas economic, security and development. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogerini said at the conference the EU which invested 8 billion Euros in the Sahel region over the period 2014-2020, will continue as a key donor for the region. The President of Niger Mohamed Esofou, current President of the Sahel Region Group told the conference 'our goal which we share with our partners is to find constant solutions to finance the joint force formed by the quintuple group to combat terrorism and organized crime. He pointed out to the situation in Libya, saying the instability in the country was the main cause of deterioration in the Sahel region. =Lana=