Mauritania hosts Sahel meeting on terrorism, extremism

By Mohamed al-Bakay

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AA) - The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) met in Mauritanian capital Nouakchott on Monday to discuss the global fight against terrorism and extremism, according to Mauritania’s state-run news agency.

Attended by representatives of CEN-SAD’s five member states, the two-day meeting was organized in cooperation with Mauritania’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Education.

“Meeting participants will hear presentations on Mauritanian policy as it pertains to extremism,” the Mauritanian News Agency reported.

Islamic Affairs Minister Ahmed Ould Ahl Dawood opened the meeting by saying that increasingly frequent incidents of terrorism “require regional groupings to join forces… with a view to adopting a unified vision for addressing this devastating phenomenon”.

Mauritania, he added, was pursuing “an effective, multifaceted approach to the problem that involves strengthening its security arsenal, safeguarding its borders and promoting dialogue as a means of resolving conflict”.

CEN-SAD Secretary-General Najim Mohamed, for his part, said the meeting would address "the scourge of terrorism and allow for the exchange of experiences and know-how among participants".

CEN-SAD -- which includes Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Mali, Chad and Niger -- was established in 2014. Its headquarters is located in Nouakchott.

Several extremist groups are reportedly active in Africa’s Sahel region -- including Daesh, Al-Qaeda and Boko Haram -- which occasionally carry out attacks on military and civilian targets.

This is especially the case in Mali, where militants overran much of the country in 2012 before being expelled following the intervention of French military forces.

Africa’s Sahel region stretches across the south-central latitudes of North Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea.