Gambia's Sahel forum advocates for regional strategies to resolve persistent instability in the region

In the heart of Banjul, The Gambia, from July 30-31, 2025, leaders from across the Sahel region gathered for the Sahel Governance Forum. The event, organised by the Government of The Gambia, Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), aimed to rebuild social cohesion and public trust.

The forum served as a pivotal moment, shifting the narrative from viewing the Sahel as a problem to be fixed from the outside, to a subregion capable of redesigning its own future. The theme of the forum, "Rebuilding Social Cohesion and Public Trust", resonated with the attendees, who included presidents, former heads of state, ECOWAS and UN leaders, and global partners.

Goodluck Jonathan, the former Nigerian President, oversaw Nigeria's first peaceful transfer of power from an incumbent to the opposition in 2015. At the forum, he highlighted climate vulnerability, youth unemployment, and resource mismanagement as fueling unrest across the Sahel region. He emphasised that the real problem isn't fragility, but structural abandonment.

Jonathan also referenced his administration's efforts to rehabilitate irrigation systems and launch the Great Green Wall initiative to combat desertification in the Sahel. He called for adaptive governance that reflects Africa's lived realities rather than one-size-fits-all models.

The Sahel region, encompassing Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and northern Nigeria, faces a unique set of challenges. According to Afrobarometer, fewer than 30 percent of citizens in many Sahelian countries trust their national governments, a situation that Ahunna Eziakonwa, the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and the UNDP's Regional Director for Africa, declared as a governance emergency.

Eziakonwa challenged the view of the Sahel as a fragile region and highlighted the deepest crisis as a governance challenge and a breakdown in trust. She was joined by Roba Sharamo, Regional Director for Africa and West Africa at International IDEA, who highlighted the role of youth in pushing for change, citing the Gen Z protests in Kenya.

The forum also marked the official establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation formed by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. The AES was initially created as a mutual defense pact on September 16, 2023, and formally established as a confederation on July 6, 2024. The AES was formed following the Nigerien crisis and the eventual withdrawal of these countries from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

President Adama Barrow of The Gambia framed "peace" as a precondition for wealth and development. His administration accepted 263 out of 265 recommendations from The Gambia's Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission. He emphasised the importance of addressing the root causes of conflict to ensure lasting peace and development.

The (Re)building Social Cohesion and Public Trust Report, a joint initiative by the United Nations Development Programme Sub-Regional Hub for West and Central Africa (UNDP WACA), United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), and the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel (UNISS) Secretariat, was unveiled by UN Special Coordinator in the Sahel, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye. The report provides a roadmap for addressing the governance challenges facing the Sahel and rebuilding social cohesion and public trust.

In conclusion, the Sahel Governance Forum was a significant step towards addressing the governance challenges facing the Sahel region. The participants agreed on the need for adaptive governance, youth engagement, and trust-building measures to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future for the region.