Sahel – WAEMU: Moussa Mara calls for ‘the narrative of peace to be imposed’.
Mali’s former Prime Minister Moussa Mara has issued a stark warning about escalating militarized rhetoric in the Sahel region, urging governments to reframe peacebuilding as their central political priority. His remarks came after being barred from attending an international peace conference in Dakar, prompting him to broadcast his message via social media.
Moussa Mara specifically criticized the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) for what he described as “bellicose posturing” that allegedly serves domestic political agendas.
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“The constant narrative of foreign-backed terrorism allows regimes to consolidate power by manufacturing perpetual enemies,” he asserted, referencing recurring claims by regional governments about external support for insurgents.
The former Bamako mayor outlined three dangerous consequences of current approaches:
- Deepening state fragility as security budgets eclipse social services
- Growing civilian alienation fueling recruitment for armed groups
- Erosion of regional cooperation across the Sahara divide
His proposed solution involves a coordinated effort among West African intellectuals, NGOs and international partners to “elevate peace discourse from abstract ideal to actionable political framework.”
This would require deprioritizing military solutions in public communications and policy planning.
Fatim DINDANE
