Credit: U.S. Department of State /   David  M.  Hale,  United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

By Gary Raynaldo          DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

“I made clear to our partners that America is not abandoning the (African SAHEL) region,”  David  M.  Hale,  United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs stated Tuesday during testimony before the Senate.  Ambassador Hale made the  remarks at  the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Hearing to Review Fragility in the Sahel.   Hale addressed the causes of fragility and violence in the Sahel. The U.S. has bolstered its diplomatic efforts in support of stability amid an unprecedented surge in terror attacks in the violent prone West African region.  Earlier this year, the top UN official in West Africa and the Sahel  described a devastating, “unprecedented” surge in terrorist violence across the region. The UNOWAS chief elaborated on terrorist-attack casualties in Burkina Faso Mali and Niger, which have leapt five-fold since 2016 – with more than 4,000 deaths reported in 2019 alone as compared to some 770 three years earlier.  

 “This Administration recognizes that fragility and instability in Africa, and particularly in the Sahel, threaten American interests and undermine our diplomatic goals. A fragile and unstable Sahel region enables the spread of terrorism, facilitates transnational organized crime, stifles economic growth, thwarts democratic institutions, and prompts destabilizing migration.”

– David  M.  Hale,  U.S .  Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs.

“American engagement is crucial”

U.S. Appoints First-Ever Special Envoy To The African SAHEL 

Unease was sparked among American allies when reports filtered out late last year that the  U.S. us considering reducing its military presence on the African continent,  as  other foreign partners call for stepping up the battle against extremism in the Sahel.   A bipartisan group of lawmakers questioned the Trump administration’s  suggesting a troop reduction in Africa, particularly in the Sahel, where they believe the operations to be critical to national security.  Several lawmakers repeated those concerns at the hearing Tuesday.

However, Ambassador Hale assured the  Senate that American is not abandoning the Sahel region . ” To the contrary, we are bolstering our diplomatic engagement through the appointment of a Special Envoy,” Hale said. 

Credit: U.S. Department of State /  Dr. J. Peter Pham is the United States Special Envoy for the Sahel Region of Africa.

Secretary of State Michael Pompeo appointed Dr. J. Peter Pham as the first-ever U.S. Special Envoy for the Sahel region of Africa to maximize American diplomatic efforts in support of stability amid an unprecedented surge in terror attacks, the State Department announced this week.  Ambassador Pham will focus on Five areas:

1. Coordinate existing strategies with international and regional partners;
2. Encourage members of the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) to assume a larger role in working with Mali, the G5 Sahel, and
affected countries;
3. Promote rapid implementation of the Algiers Accord;
4. Improve the effectiveness of the Multidimensional Integrated
Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA); and
5. Develop and propagate initiatives for strengthened state authority and
good governance.

Military Strategies Cannot Replace Diplomatic , Development Initiatives:  Ambassador Hale

“Addressing fragility in the Sahel – in particular in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso – requires a comprehensive and balanced approach. Military, intelligence, and law enforcement strategies are vital for success, but they cannot replace diplomatic and development initiatives. Our strategy promotes inclusive and just political systems; advances regional security by combatting violent extremists and traffickers; and encourages economic growth and opportunity through sustainable development and increased American investment. Our diplomatic engagement focuses on three primary elements: improving state legitimacy; supporting the peace process; and improving coordination with our partners,” Ambassador Hale told the U.S. Senate.

Hale pointed out that Mali remains a focal point of terrorist activity in the region.

 “Years of political conflict and stalled implementation of the 2015 Algiers Accord have created a climate of instability that has permitted terrorism to take root and thrive. Terrorist groups in central Mali exacerbate and exploit intercommunal tensions, particularly in areas that lack state presence or have been victimized by armed groups or state security forces. Terrorists enjoy freedom of movement in northern and most of central Mali, and transit between Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso to resupply, conduct raids, and enrich themselves through illicit trafficking along trade routes,” Hale said.

U.S.  Has Obligated More Than  $195 Million To  G5 SAHEL  Countries 

“Over the last two years, the State Department has obligated over $195 million in security assistance to the G5 Sahel  countries, including over $69 million to Burkina Faso, which is also the largest recipient of American bilateral assistance among the nations of the G5 Sahel Joint Force,” Hale said.   The G5 Sahel Joint Force (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger) was launched in 2017 to coordinate counterterrorism operations among member countries.

“The G5 Sahel is not yet able to disrupt the growing terrorist footprint across the Sahel, but has potential as a coordination mechanism. French Operation Barkhane, with 5,200 troops on the ground, plays a crucial role in the counterterrorism fight.”

-Ambassador Hale 

“Instability in the Sahel is spreading to the coastal states of West Africa, directly threatening the heart of American interests in the region. Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Togo are all at risk. We are expanding our assistance to these countries to develop accountable, stable security institutions; respect for human rights; and good governance.”

Ambassador  Hale  Also Pushed Formation of Civilian-Led Transitional Government in SUDAN 

Credit: twitter.com /  US Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale  with Sudan’s Transitional Military Council Chairman, General Abdel Fattah el-Burhan  in the Northeast Africa nation’s capital city Khartoum Aug. 7, 2019.