European Union adopts country-by-country strategy for Sahel region

The European Union is shifting its diplomatic strategy in the Sahel toward a customized, country-by-country approach. This new orientation, set to be implemented starting in November 2025, moves away from previous reliance on regional frameworks like the G5 Sahel to better account for the specific political and cultural realities of individual states.

Birgitte Nygaard Markussen, the newly appointed Danish diplomat and EU Special Envoy for the Sahel, emphasized that this flexibility does not constitute an abandonment of European values. While the EU aims to respect sovereign choices and engage in dialogue to identify common priorities, it intends to maintain its core principles regarding democracy and human rights.

Markussen selected Chad for her first official mission, describing the nation as a “very strategic partner” for the European Union due to the strong existing relations between Brussels and N’Djamena.