German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Senegal on Monday to intensify cooperation with West African democracies to counter the current instability in the Sahel countries.
“The security in the region and the future prospects of this region are also closely linked to our own security and our own development,” Baerbock said in Dakar.
“The problems and challenges of the region, terror, migration, organised crime and poverty, also have direct consequences for us in Europe,” said the minister, who also plans to visit Ivory Coast, one of the few remaining democracies in West Africa.
Senegal and Ivory Coast are seen as two of the most important partners for Europe, as more and more Sahel countries turn to Russia.
Baerbock’s trip comes amid instability in the Sahel region, dubbed the coup belt by some observers, a region that has been the subject of military uprisings in Mali, Chad, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Niger and Gabon since 2020.
While many of the new military governments have turned their backs on relations with the European Union, withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and sought support from Russian forces, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire have continued their relations with the West.
After talks with her Senegalese counterpart Yassine Fall on Monday, Baerbock said she has no illusions about the unstable situation in the Sahel.
The coups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have set their countries back economically, politically and also in relations with Germany, she said.
“We cannot simply continue as if nothing has happened,” the minister stressed.
At the same time, it was also clear that the Sahel is part of the immediate neighbourhood of Germany and Europe, Baerbock said. “That is why we are not breaking down all our tents, but are acting pragmatically within the remaining room for manoeuvre,” she said.
“Given all the crises that currently keep us on the edge of our seats, we know that the opportunities and challenges for Europe are inextricably linked to those of Africa.”
Baerbock’s two day visit
While Germany’s top diplomat is touring West Africa, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze is hosting a meeting of the Sahel Alliance in Berlin, which coordinates international development cooperation for Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
After the World Bank, France and the EU, Germany is the largest donor.
During her visit to Senegal, Baerbock also spoke with newly elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who is seen as a key figure in maintaining stability in the region.
Since Senegal gained independence from France in 1960, there has been no violent conflict.
“The Senegalese have succeeded in initiating political change within the democratic system, for all to see,” Baerbock said. “Where we as democracies, where we as Europe do not invest, others invest and create dependencies that, in case of doubt, are used against us and our security interests.” It was no coincidence, she said, that China and Russia in particular were making very large investments on the African continent.
Bearbuck Dakar guided tours bus schedule
Earlier, Baerbock began her two-day trip to West Africa with a tour of an electric rapid bus project in Dakar.
Dakar’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system began operating in May, with funding from the European Investment Bank and the World Bank. Together with the TER suburban rail, the transport network aims to facilitate mobility and reduce environmental impact.
The population of the greater Dakar area has increased tenfold since 1970, with an official population of around 4 million people living in the region. Despite being located on a peninsula by the sea, the city suffers from some of the worst air quality on the African continent.
Germany is committed to “proposals that benefit people on both sides today and that will help us address future challenges together,” Baerbock said, arguing that the project would advance Senegal’s green transition and improve the quality of life of its citizens.
She said Africa’s first electric bus rapid transit system was a tangible example of useful cooperation and praised the European Union’s Global Gateway initiative, which aims to invest some €300 billion ($326 billion) in developing countries by 2027.
Senegal, which started oil production a month ago and wants to start exporting natural gas by the end of the year, is also making extra efforts to ensure a sustainable energy supply.
According to the International Energy Agency, the country has met its 2025 wind and solar targets, which now supply a fifth of its electricity. The share of electricity from renewables is expected to reach 40% by 2030.
To help Senegal achieve its goals, €2.5 billion in public and private funds will be mobilised under the Just Energy Transition Partnership with Germany, France and the EU.
