Below is a translation of a message by Ahmedou Ould Abdallah president Centre4s to the above conference and read to the participants by a delegate from the Centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

.Thanks to the organizer Minister Tebielé Dramé and all those who supported him in convening the meeting on an issue so relevant to all of us: the crisis of the Sahel Sahara. Make no mistake about it, peace, stability and prosperity in the region are of interest to all segments of our societies including the private sector, governments and oppositions parties.

In a globalized word, with investors – including courageous tourists, coming from the whole world, our external partners are also and rightly concerned by insecurity. We should discuss the root causes of the crisis, its recent evolution and especially we should confront it in a united front. United we will succeed, divided we will fail

. From my personal experience I know that, except for rare cases, all conflicts end with a negotiation. Therefore why not negotiate now?  Why only after more death and destruction? However, what to do if one of the parties to the conflict believes only in winning by arms and rejects negotiation? In addition, what to do with a conflict which, in reality is with a criminal dimension composed of various traffics and trafficking in drugs, cigarettes, migrations? And how about a conflict not confined to a single country but which is regional, crossing states borders, as the one we face in our region? Indeed, the situation worsens when an ideological or a religious dimension is involved as is again the case in the region.

. Is it possible to have peace and stability if there is no transparency and if corruption is pervasive? Of course no. Generalized corruption discredits and delegitimizes the national Leadership and fuels the resentment of those who want change. Moreover, what to do if security institutions are not paid adequately, are not professional as their recruitment is based on tribal or regional connections and not on merit? How about if they have a political agenda? As a consequence, the conflict will last to generate smaller bloody conflicts. Our Sahel could then become attractive to all those wanting to fight established authorities. Afghanistan, Somalia and also in a way eastern Congo are telling examples.

. The point to make is that conflicts should be contained or resolved quickly to avoid their entrenchment and connections with local legitimate social demands. Today, the more a civil conflict lasts, the more it attracts supporters for each party the world over. The small crisis becomes then an adult one. War and abuses become a way of life. Legitimate governments and the rest of the population, especially women and children, become the targets of renewed violence.

. It is to spare this kind of bloody scenario to our region that the Centre for Strategies and Security in the Sahel Sahara Centre4s has been established recently. One of its main objectives is to avoid that the region becomes a new issue of concern to the international community and to ensure that its future remains within the hands of its citizen. The potential for crisis is huge in the region due to various strategic interests of considerable importance. These include a deficit in political tolerance and dialogue, economics interests in mineral including oil, gas, uranium, environmental priorities such as exploitation of solar energy. These issues deserve to be addressed through dialogue at national level and through collective diplomacy at regional level.

. Slowly, but continuously, the Sahel Sahara is moving from insecurity to the destabilization of the entire region. That is a dangerous path. Terrorists’ violence moves easily, as a liquid, from one country to another. Only collective diplomatic and joint security undertakings by concerned states can help to alter this path. Domestic support from all segments of the society in these states remains vital.

. The demise of Kaddafi’s regime and the return to the Sahel of former members of his “Arab Legions”, with their equipment will be very difficult to manage peacefully. Their Manpads or man portable air defense system, constitute a source of concern to many presidential palaces and military headquarters in addition to the region international airports. For the months to come, the Libyan crises and the continued political debate in Tunisia, would serve the ambitions of those who want to destabilize the Sahel Sahara. That destabilization would fuel the determination of the Boko Haram in Nigeria. With revenues generated from various traffics and those obtained from the piracy in the Gulf of Benin, radicals in the Sahel have no financial worries. Moreover, if they succeed in convincing, financially or on tribal and clan basis, some of those security elements in charge of fighting them, insecurity will have a bright future. Many available indications encourage to not excluding such a possibility.

. By conviction and experience I am an optimist. I think that facts on the ground always end up by prevailing over Leader’s arrogance or ignorance. However, there are serious reasons to be concerned by the continued deterioration of security and by the destabilization of the region. This is why we should thank Minister Dramé for convening this meeting and for giving all of us this opportunity to debate issues about this crisis. National unity and external cooperation constitute the best ingredients for a return to peace and stability in the Sahel.

Thank you for your attention