The Sahara encompasses a vast expanse of territory fraught with weak governance, pervasive corruption, porous borders, and transnational criminal networks. And radical groups, like al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), are able to exploit the insecurity and pose a threat well beyond the region.

In a Q&A, on June 10, 2013, Frederic Wehrey and Anouar Boukhars, co-editors of the new book Perilous Desert: Insecurity in the Sahara, discussed the sources of instability and what can be done to address the simmering conflicts. According to them, foreign assistance from the West must move beyond a narrow counterterrorism focus and governments in the region need to cooperate and demonstrate the resolve to tackle the root causes of the chaos.

• What are the major security problems in the Sahara?

•  What are the root causes of instability in the Sahara?

• What should the international community do?

• What can governments in the Sahara do to reduce internal insecurity?

• Can anything be done on a regional level?

 

Source: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace