The Sahel

Lying south of the Sahara is a region known as the Sahel, home to ten nations that face a plethora of challenges, from poor economies and demographic pressures to fragile states and harsh desert climates. The Sahel is a region desperately trying to cast off its neo-colonial yoke and pave its own future, yet it is struggling under the weight of insurgency, political instability, and deep poverty. For the United States, it is a geopolitical hotspot in a region largely ignored by Washington. Not only is the Sahel pivotal to U.S. counter-terrorism operations, it is also an arena of great power competition, where other global actors—from Russia to China—seek political influence and access to resources. As the objectives of U.S. foreign policy shift under President Trump, the Sahel will be a test case for how well the U.S. can balance multiple but dueling objectives as it seeks to promote democracy, open new markets, and protect its geo-strategic interests on the African continent.