Local governments are also guardians of peace in the Sahel region

27 January 2020

“French local governments are also involved, with their counterparts from the Sahel region, in ensuring a lasting peace,” writes Cités Unes France (CUF) in a press release published on the occasion of the G5 Sahel in Pau (France), on 13 and 14 January. CUF insists on the work of French local and regional governments with their Sahelian counterparts, as well as the work with associations of local authorities in the Sahel region. The G5 Sahel is composed by Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.

Local governments are involved “as closely as possible to the expectations of the territories and their populations, by strengthening basic public services, by supporting governance in the territories, by supporting the training of elected officials and local technicians, by encouraging the creation of activities and jobs, by promoting agricultural practices that provide food for all, by fighting against climate change…”, writes Cités Unies France.

“Cités Unies France supports this commitment by French local authorities, and works with associations of local authorities in the Sahel region to recognize the work done, complementary to that of States, NGOs and businesses”, the press release also states.

Read the full press release and the “Bamako Declaration” on CUF website.

Meeting for French local and regional governments on the Sahel region

Following the meeting of the G5 in Pau and the work carried out by Cités Unies France in the region for many years, the president of CUF, Roland Ries, mayor of Strasbourg, and Benoît Pilet, deputy-mayor of Angers, responsible for issues related to the Sahel zone at CUF, proposed to organise a breakfast meeting to update CUF member cities and regions on the state of play in the Sahel region as well as the ongoing projects.

This will take place on Tuesday 3 March in the French Senate, with thirty French local and regional governments, as well as the French President Special Advisor for Africa and the president of Coordination Sud.

For more information, please contact Geneviève Sevrin: g.sevrin@cites-unies-france.org

(Image from RobertoVi on Pixabay)

Subscribe to newsletter