The UAE has said it remains committed to supporting security and stability in the Sahel region.
Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan, Minister of State, said the Emirates will work to further development and humanitarian efforts.
He told the third ministerial meeting of the Coalition for the Sahel that the UAE will "continue to support and encourage institutions, to guarantee long-term prosperity and stability,” state news agency Wam reported.
“The stability of the Sahel region is vital for both Africa and the surrounding regions.”
Sheikh Shakhbout said it was important to face challenges that impede progress and prosperity. During the virtual meeting, he also called for young people to be empowered so that they can shoulder the responsibility of building the future of the region.
He said the key to resolving some of the major problems facing the Sahel lies in strengthening the social and economic situation of the countries of the region. This will help in improving the living standards of their peoples, and address the threats of violence and extremism.
“We must revive efforts to create a new model of cooperation and friendship that is oriented towards a more prosperous future for the region as a whole,” he said.
“We must dedicate our efforts to developing multilateral solutions that will mitigate and resolve the ongoing crises facing that region.”
The ministerial meeting was held to review the guidelines of collective action to achieve stability in the region and provide a framework for developing a road map for the coalition.
What is the Coalition for the Sahel?
The vast Sahel region in Africa is a vast region stretches along the Sahara desert's southern rim from the Atlantic to the Red Sea and is ridden with armed groups, rebels and criminal gangs.
At the Pau Summit on January 13, 2020, France and the G5 Sahel countries — Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger — decided to set up a coalition for the Sahel.
Its purpose is to combat armed terrorist groups, strengthen the capacities of the armed forces support state governments and push ahead development work.
France launched a coalition of European and West African allies to fight rising extremism in the Sahel region in an attempt to boost political cooperation and secure more special forces support for military operations.
Countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE also provide extra financial aid to the coalition.
Conflict in Sahel — in pictures
