Sahel G5 countries committed to intensify cooperation against terrorism, traffic of migrants

NIAMEY (Niger)- The countries of the Sahel G5 committed, at the end of a regional meeting on Thursday evening in Niamey, to strengthen their cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the traffic of migrants to Europe.

“Given the interactions between these crimes, only a joint action of our countries is able to meet these challenges,” said the Interior Ministers of the Sahel G5 (Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad) in a “Declaration of Niamey” that they signed at the end of the meeting.

“Another step was made in the establishment of this space in terms of security,” said the Niger Minister of Interior Hassoumi Massaoudou at the end of the meeting.

There is “a need to join efforts to provide a lasting response to the security and migration challenges which largely surpasse the capacity of States,” said Najim Elhajd Mohamed, Permanent Secretary of the Group of Five for the Sahel, a body created last year which includes Burkina Faso, Mali Mauritania, Niger and Chad.