Analysing and Tackling the Rise of Violent Extremism in the greater Sahel region

Description What is done in the programme or project and why, what results are pursued, who benefits from the activities and who are involved in the implementation.

International Crisis Group's project "Analysing and Tackling the Rise of Violent Extremism in the greater Sahel region" will focus on understanding the roots and dynamics of violent extremism, which is critical to understanding what drives conflicts and migration in the region. It's objective is to provide analysis which unpacks assumptions about drivers of radicalism and violent group's increasing reach and influence in the greater Sahel region. The project also aims to provide analysis which ensures that even as they focus on extremism, key governments and other stakeholders do not ignore or worsen other sources of fragility.The project will address instability in the greater Sahel. Additionally, it will examine Boko Haram's evolution in Chad, Cameroon and Niger, the threat it poses across the region, its ties to other movements, structural weaknesses that have enabled its rise, responses thus far and prospects for containing it. A comprehensive knowledge of the facts on the ground, detailed country expertise, knowledge of local actors and extensive field research, is vital to understanding the dynamics at play. The project enables Crisis Group to deepen and extend the organization's coverage of critical issues affecting states across the Sahel, and share analysis on the region with Finland and other key stakeholders, enabling governments to act to contain and reduce violent extremism and conflict in the Sahel, ultimately benefiting civilian populations therein. Other beneficiaries will be policymakers within the Finnish government, specifically in the ministry for Foreign Affairs, and its partners in the international community, the wider international community of policymakers and civil society actors whom Crisis Group will reach out to through direct advocacy and policy engagement, and conflict actors who benefit from Crisis Group's recommendations and through the opening up of new dialogue channels.