The G5 Sahel: At the nexus of fragility, conflict, and climate
This policy brief reviews existing literature and available data to understand the complex challenges at the intersection of fragility, conflict, and climate change unfolding in the G5 Sahel region and provide pathways for policy action.
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Mahmood Policy Brief February 2025.pdf
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- The G5 Sahel region, comprising Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger, is suffering from the triple crises of fragility, conflict, and climate.
- Home to more than 89 million people, these countries are amongst the least developed in the world, with around one-third of the population living below the international poverty line.
- Despite contributing a minimal 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, the G5 Sahel is highly susceptible to climate change, and the region is predicted to warm at a much faster rate than the global average.
- The last decade has seen increasing frequencies of climate and conflict events, which necessitates a better understanding of their mutually reinforcing manifestations.
- Addressing the polycrisis unfolding in the G5 Sahel will require a multi-pronged, sustained, and long-term approach. Stakeholders should coordinate and align on the low-hanging fruits and high-impact interventions, design innovative approaches to engage with governments and non-traditional actors, understand how climate finance fits into the aid architecture, and involve local communities and indigenous populations to create tailored solutions.