Background
The security challenges in West Africa have intensified considerably in recent years, particularly due to the increasing terrorist activities of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) in the Sahel countries. The region faces an escalating threat of attacks, kidnappings and armed assaults on security forces and civilians. This instability not only endangers the Sahel countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, but also poses significant risks to the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea, including Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin.
The ongoing pressure from extremist groups and the weakness of state structures make it difficult to implement coordinated countermeasures. Effective regional cooperation is often lacking, while national security strategies are insufficient to contain cross-border threats. Furthermore, the role of parliamentary structures in the security architecture remains largely marginalized, and the dialogue between security forces and the population is still inadequate.
In view of the increasing risk of a spillover effect in the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea, increased security cooperation between the affected countries is becoming increasingly urgent. A sustainable dialogue between the military, police, civil society and political decision-makers is needed to jointly develop effective strategies for combating terrorism and ensuring long-term stability in the region.
The Regional Program Security Policy Dialogue West Africa - Sahel (SIPODI West Africa Sahel)
Established in 2015, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s (KAS) Regional Programme Security Policy Dialogue West Africa builds on the experience and networks of the Political Dialogue West Africa programme. It promotes dialogue among parliamentarians, security forces and experts. Security policy dialogue between Africa and Europe is also a key priority, strengthening trust among military, political and civil society leaders from both continents.
On 1 September 2026, the KAS Sahel programme was integrated into the Regional Programme SIPODI West. Under the name “Security Policy Dialogue West Africa – Sahel”, the activities, partnerships and networks of both programmes are now brought together under a single regional leadership based in Abidjan. A locally staffed office in Bamako ensures continued cooperation with partners in the Sahel.
This integration reflects the close links between security developments in the Sahel and the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea. It enables a more coordinated approach to cross-border challenges, brings together regional expertise and deepens exchanges among stakeholders from both subregions. Existing partnerships and dialogue formats are being continued and connected. The programme focuses on strengthening regional cooperation, democratic oversight of the security sector and dialogue based on trust among political leaders, security forces and civil society.
Priorities and target groups
The office's work focuses primarily on establishing and stabilizing the exchange between various relevant actors. This involves creating an environment in which political decision-makers and young civilian elites can engage in dialogue with the military.
The target groups of the measures implemented in the regional program are: officers and representatives of the national security forces in decision-making positions, members of parliamentary committees for security and defense, employees of ministries and think tanks, security policy experts in Africa and Europe, representatives of relevant EU and AU institutions, journalists and diplomats.
Measures
Thematically, the project is based on the current security policy challenges and issues in the West African region. Among other things, the topics “Regional Security Policy, Destabilizing Factors and Outlooks”, “The Fight against Terrorism”, “Organized Crime as a Regional Destabilizing Factor”, “Religious Extremism in Urban Environments” and “ECOWAS Intervention Capacities and Early Warning Systems in the Region” are being addressed. The aim is to create and strengthen a transnational policy dialogue and regional networks involving the countries concerned, which will lead to a substantive discussion of global and regional challenges for democracy, security and development.
By expanding an established network of security-related actors from Europe and sub-Saharan Africa, the KAS is creating an institutionalized forum that enables relevant topics to be discussed in an environment of trust and beyond official positions, to identify blockades and challenges, and thus to come one step closer to solving problems.
The Regional Programme SIPODI West Africa – Sahel operates from Abidjan, supported by its locally staffed office in Bamako. It works closely with the Regional Programme Political Dialogue West Africa (PDWA) in Abidjan, its sister programme Security Policy Dialogue East Africa in Kampala, Uganda, and the other KAS country offices in the region. The integration of the Sahel programme further strengthens cooperation with partners in the Sahel and connections with the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea within a shared regional approach.