Belgium adopts its strategy for Sahel region

BRUSSELS, July 7 (KUNA) -- The Belgian Council of Ministers Friday officially adopted the Integrated Strategy for the Sahel Region.
This reaffirms the priority of this region for Belgium. The Strategy is the result of a thorough and inclusive consultative process and is evidence of Belgium's commitment to mobilize all its foreign policy actors in the region: Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Development Cooperation, said the Belgian foreign ministry in a statement.
This strategy embodies a shared vision aimed at promoting a safe and stable European neighborhood, human security and the defense of human rights, the rule of law and good governance, economic security, and sustainable prosperity - as well as maintaining a supportive and reliable partnership in the Sahel.
These five common objectives are at the heart of the Strategy, the latter also being closely connected to Belgium's National Security Strategy, it noted.
Considering the close relationship between the Sahel countries (Burkina-Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad) and their neighboring countries, notably the coastal states of the Gulf of Guinea and the Maghreb countries, the concept of the Sahel Region is defined broadly - in line with the concepts developed by the European Union, the United Nations, and the African Union, said the statement.
Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib commented: "For the first time, this Strategy provides for a comprehensive approach, addressing the complexity of the links between climate, security, and peace." (end) nk.rk