SECURITY DYNAMICS IN NORTH AFRICA AND SAHEL REGION IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2021

Authors

  • Crăișor-Constantin IONIȚĂ

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53477/1841-5784-21-03

Keywords:

North Africa; Sahel region; Civil War; interim Government of National Union; transborder terrorism; illegal migration; ECOWAS; Barkhane Operation; Frontex.

Abstract

The first half of 2021 was marked by the continued spread of the Sars-CoV-2 virus throughout the African continent, by the desperate attempts of the UN and regional powers to implement the Ceasefire Agreement in Libya and keep security situation under control, and increasing the number of illegal migrants to Europe. The COVID-19 pandemic did not reduce terrorist acts in the Sahel region, nor did it stop the wave of small immigrant boats to Spain and Italy from Africa. But the coronavirus pandemic has led to the closure of many African borders, bringing the economies of those countries to the brink of bankruptcy and deteriorating the humanitarian situation in North Africa and the Sahel region. The international community has difficulty monitoring the situation in the area, especially the humanitarian crisis and illegal migration, which is seriously affecting security in its vicinity.

References

***, „Proiectul Organizației Internaționale pentru Migranți (IOM) privind dispariția migranților pe principalele rute din Marea Mediterană”, URL: https://missingmigrants.iom.int/region/mediterranean?

***, “Morocco recalls its ambassador to Germany as tensions rise”, Associated Press News, 6 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/europe-germany-africa-morocco-government-and-politics-f1d59cf3edaa36f368b15a58d8b53eca

***, “UN agency: Libyan navy intercepts over 800 EU-bound migrants”, Associated Press News, 5 February 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/europe-africa-libya-middle-east-mediterranean-sea-5a155e8c9df4b7292ea66d3dd4fbbefc

AL-HAJ. Ahmed, “Officials: Migrant boat capsizes off Yemen, some 200 missing”, Associated Press News, 14 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-yemen-africa-immigration-health-fcd4add84264d9add649d8351cdb2bc6

AHMED, Baba, “Mali junta leader sworn in as president after 2nd coup”, Associated Press News, 7 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/africa-mali-government-and-politics-60afe11f3629bc3440b4b2dab14e476a

BARISE, Hassan, “Suicide bomber kills at least 15 at Somalia military site”, Associated Press News, 15 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/somalia-suicide-bomber-2d3c682a38bbb75eb1cd3dbc89f26810

BEN BOUZZA, Bouzza, “Tunisians protest arrests; government faces confidence vote”, Associated Press News, 26 January 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/north-africa-cabinets-tunisia-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-819dbd16717fe092a16fa18e1dac57ea

BRITO, Renata; PARRA, Aritz, “Spain, Marocco square off after 8,000 migrants arrive by sea”, Associated Press News, 18 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/spain-europe-africa-morocco-migration-9833744a7058cc9438a8d7417d2944c6

ELHENNAWY, Noha, “Senior US diplomat in Libya to support interim government”, Associated Press News, 18 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-libya-africa-joe-biden-ad3786c02e74bbb7b1d922b357afbc51

ELHENNAWY, Noha, “Spain reopens its embassy in Libya after 7 years of closure”, Associated Press News, 3 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/libya-africa-europe-spain-middle-east-b802474d9e715be8bbf2227c040c3437

FRASER, Suzan, “Turkey, Libya recommit to contested maritime borders deal”, Associated Press News, 12 April 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/turkey-libya-recep-tayyip-erdogan-tripoli-ankara-9faece0a5a1751c58df7b6739318bff7

GATOPOULOS, Derek; KANTOURIS, Costas, “In post-pandemic Europe, migrants will face digital fortress”, Associated Press News, 31 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-europe-migration-technology-health-c23251bec65ba45205a0851fab07e9b6

KAMALE, Jean-Yves, “Death toll from Conge volcano eruption rises to at least 32”, Associated Press News, 25 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/world-news-africa-science-health-coronavirus-pandemic-74ef0b8ec0c838933ab625d80e538752

LEDEREE, Edith M., “UN focuses on demand to repatriate foreign fighters in Libya”, Associated Press News, 30 April 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-libya-europe-africa-middle-east-5746eb32c1f3ac676d8f37dacec3213c

LEDEREE, Edith M., “UN chief: Foreign fighters in Libya are violating cease-fire”, Associated Press News, 15 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-libya-africa-middle-east-f3a758d5ab63f21e71a50ee1c95b9a8c

LEDEREE, Edith M., “UN strongly condemned violations in Central African Republic”, Associated Press News, 8 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-europe-africa-central-africa-central-african-republic-6419b744546276d77498bc5a99b0614e

LEDEREE, Edith M., “UN envoy: More insecurity in Mali will have ‘drastic’ impact”, Associated Press News, 15 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-mali-europe-africa-c66fb06c992ff6fd5435c973dbaa6eb7

MAGDY, Samy, “UN: 2 women, 3 children drown in shipwreck off Libya’s coast”, Associated Press News, 31 March 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/europe-north-africa-drownings-libya-africa-eda22245e6ddb9543b41a457bf2cc2fb

MAGDY, Samy, “Arab League backs calls for UN intervention in the dam dispute”, Associated Press News, 6 May 2021, https://apnews.com/article/arab-league-united-nations-europe-africa-middle-east-5fd51629f3158936afe3fae2da69f5b0

MAGDY, Samy, “UN: Migrant boat capsized off Libya; 2 dozen prezumed dead”, Associated Press News, 10 May 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/world-news-united-nations-libya-africa-middle-east-111ea2236cf6b278d49c5fc1201d67cd

MAGDY, Samy, “Report: Tribal clashes in Sudan’s Darfur kill at least 36”, Associated Press News, 7 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-africa-sudan-456165e4b100419fa2308be478fa26ba

MEDNICK, Sam, “Death toll rises after Burkina Faso village attack”, Associated Press News, 7 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/world-news-islamic-state-group-burkina-faso-africa-religion-2430cbdf4e324f49e20612e94ba5a800

MIRONESCU, Vlad, “Copii morți aduși de valuri pe plajele din Libia, după ce ar fi încercat să ajungă în Europa”, Digi Tv, 26 May 2021, URL: https://www.digi24.ro/stiri/externe/copii-morti-au-fost-adusi-de-valuri-pe-plajele-din-libia-sustine-o-organizatie-caritabila-1541849

MUSA, Rami, “In the first travel abroad, new Italian PM visits Libya”, Associated Press News, 6 April 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/europe-africa-italy-libya-middle-east-14fde11cc7caf013e34f67c17cae90d7

OLUKOYA, Sam, “1 student fatally shot in new abduction in Nigeria’s north”, Associated Press News, 11 June 2021, URL: https://apnews.com/article/africa-nigeria-shootings-cf0591261074099da45365fd6859760b

Downloads

Published

2021-10-07

How to Cite

IONIȚĂ, C.-C. . (2021). SECURITY DYNAMICS IN NORTH AFRICA AND SAHEL REGION IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2021 . Strategic Impact, 79(2), 41–55. https://doi.org/10.53477/1841-5784-21-03