On the importance of staying engaged

In our interconnected world, progress, innovation and culture transcend borders – and so do crises. As conflicts spread across nations, national solutions alone become inadequate. In complex regions like the Sahel, the rise of military regimes and anti-Western sentiment have pushed a number of European actors to withdraw, doubting their ability to have positive and long-lasting development impacts. Yet, disengagement risks deepening instability.

Navigating geopolitical shifts

European agencies working in regions like the Sahel face shifting geopolitical currents. They are forced to navigate the political priorities of their national government, while staying the course and achieve development goals. Even without a unified EU stance on the matter, the European agencies play a crucial role in supporting fragile states – contributing to their resilience and by extension, Europe’s own stability.

The work of international cooperation agencies benefits both European citizens and the inhabitants of the partner countries: their activities span across critical areas, including migration, security, energy, and environmental transition – issues central to EU policy. Therefore, trying to achieve results on migration or security, for example, without addressing the underlying causes of instability will not only be ineffective – it may prove counterproductive.

More cooperation, not competition

Organisations like Enabel and GIZ have extensive expertise in crisis-affected regions, working on inequalities, promoting stability, and strengthening governance. Around 72% of Enabel’s and 66% of GIZ’s projects operate in such environments, focusing on crisis prevention and resilience to environmental and social challenges. Our common experience proves that cooperation in these regions is crucial for global security and prosperity.

At the same time, we must rethink our engagement. We need to design programmes that contribute to peacebuilding, by enhancing collaboration across organisations and embracing locally driven approaches. Deepen partnerships with local authorities, civil society, and diverse interest groups (youth, women, diaspora communities) – who are central in bringing local knowledge, trust and credibility to our work.

An integrated vision of peace and security

In our effort to stay relevant, we must also recognise the intrinsic link between cooperation and defence. Further pooling resources and coordinating actions between cooperation and defence sectors will help us achieve greater impact, at home and abroad.

In Burkina Faso, where the protracted security crisis affects many aspects of life, in 2024, over one million children were internally displaced, with at least 6,000 schools closed. Yet investing in education is essential to equip an entire generation of Burkinabé children and youth with the skills to build a prosperous and peaceful future.

To ensure the continuity of education, local partners – regional and provincial education authorities, community structures, teachers – are crucial. Through their support and expertise out-of-school children received remedial classes and students and teachers affected by the conflict received psychosocial support. In areas where schools remain closed, a radio education programme has enabled more than 10,000 children to continue their studies.

Legal identity is another challenge. In 2020, less than half of the population registered civil status events, severely hampering access to fundamental rights – particularly for internally displaced persons. Enabel partnered with the General Directorate for the Modernisation of Civil Status, departmental courts, municipalities and NGOs like Children Believe to modernise and digitise civil status records. This initiative has provided over 10,000 children with birth certificates, protecting them from the risk of statelessness and ensuring access to essential services like health care and education.

Belgium’s commitment to governance and stability in the Sahel region also involves regional approaches as illustrated by the climate portfolio we are implementing in Niger, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso.

While our activities cannot alone restore peace, they constitute a building block to long-term stability. Sustainable progress and peace require long-term, strategic investment in crisis prevention, social and economic justice and resilience-building. More than an investment in individual countries, this is an investment in global peace.