The Combating Terrorism Center’s Geoff D. Porter moderated a roundtable discussion entitled ‘Sahel: Complex Realities Beyond Insecurity’ which was part of the Council on Foreign Relation’s US Africa Strategic Partners Program. Panelists spoke about historic linkages among Saharan and North African states, crossborder refugee crises in the Sahel, and Boko Haram’s recent activities in Nigeria as well as the potential for crossborder attacks into neighboring countries. Dr. Porter addressed the transnational nature of the problems facing the region and whether there are structural impediments to development in the region that leave it vulnerable to instability and inevitably at risk of greater militarization. Key questions from attendees focused on the likelihood of Boko Haram’s spread throughout Nigeria and the degree to which the term ‘failed state’ can be applied to different Sahel and Sahara countries.
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