Border security in Africa: the paradigmatic case of the Sahel as the embodiment of security and economy in borderlands

Abstract

ABSTRACT African borders are weakened by the recent development of jihadist armed groups that compete with states and whose territorial control straddles several countries. This article draws on six Sahelian countries' borderlands to make the case for border security responses that account for the border economy. This article describes how the border has become a governance issue between states that still need to organise their cooperation and coordination, and armed groups that make their cross-border mobility a tactical, fiscal and political asset. The article reports on positive initiatives that aim to improve coordination in the way fragile borders are managed.