The Sahel in Turmoil: conflict drivers and responses

The workshop “The Sahel in Turmoil: conflict drivers and responses” aims to address the Sant’Anna School’s students and the overall academic community to discuss the main drivers of and responses tothe conflict dynamics currently affecting the Sahel, with particular reference to the issues of violent extremism and its countering measures at international, regional and local level.
Through the contributions of researchers from differentbackgrounds, the workshop’s goal is to provide a chance of mutual learning and sharing of research findings, so as to ignite a discussion with students of all levels. It will also provide the opportunity for the first preview presentation of the freshly published volume 'Jihad in Africa. Terrorismo e Controterrorismo in Sahel' (Mulino, 2022), co-edited by the Sant’Anna School researchers Edoardo Baldaro and Luca Raineri. The workshop is part of the AfricaConnect programme.

Program

Conference, Wednesday 11 May, 9:00-10:30 CET - Aula 6, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa

Focus on the Region of Agadez: a discussion with local authorities
Meeting with Abdourahamane Elhadji Aboubacar Touraoua, Mayor of Agadez & Oumarou Ibrahim, Sultan of the Aïr

Workshop, Monday 16 May, 14.15 CET - Aula 3, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa

Program
14.15 - Introduction 
14.30 - Responding to jihadism in the Sahel: international, regional and local approaches
Chair: Edoardo Baldaro

• Francesco Strazzari, Recipes for failure? Mapping the responses to conflict and violent extremism in the Sahel
• Aichatou Adamou Maiga, L'Union Africaine dans la gestion des conflits ah Sahel: entre espoirs et incertitudes
• Delina Goxho, Light footprint-heavily destabilizing impact: why the Western understanding of remote warfareneeds to be reconsidered

16.00 - Break
16.15 - Armed conflict and extremism: the drivers of violence in the Sahel
Chair: Luca Raineri

• Laura Berlingozzi, Women mobilisation and jihadi governance in the Sahel
• Amadou Limam Boukari, La région du Liptako-Gourma: aux origines de l’insécurité transfrontalière
• Francesca Lenzi and Adele Moltedo, Climate change and natural resource conflicts: a fertile ground for terrorism?

17.45 - Break
18.00 - Book presentation: 'Jihad in Africa. Terrorismo e Controterrorismo in Sahel' by Edoardo Baldaro and Luca Raineri - Introduces: Francesco Strazzari
19.00 - Cocktail
20.00 - Movie screening: 'Zinder'. Followed by: debate with the director Aicha Macky.