A meeting to discuss and develop an action plan – the 2022-2024 Communication Strategy – among the G5 Sahel countries was held in Bamako, Mali, from November 8 to 10.
Communication practitioners of the G5 Sahel Executive Secretariat, the National Coordination Committees (CNCs), the Defence College (CDG5S) and the Sahelian Security College (CSS) attended.
At the meeting – organised by the G5 Sahel Executive Secretariat with the technical and financial support of GIZ/Mauritania – communication specialists shared experiences and exchanged ideas on how communication between the countries of the Sahel could be improved.
The action plan developed will run from 2022 to 2024 and will serve as the G5 Sahel Communication Strategy.
After the publication by the Executive Secretariat, in February 2020, of a document titled the “G5 Sahel Communication Strategy”, the need for its ownership by stakeholders and its implementation became increasingly important, according to a G5 Sahel report.
This was the reason the development of an action plan was needed to put into practice the actions identified and targeted in the February document. The G5 Sahel Communication Strategy reflects the willingness of member states and their people to cooperate beyond their borders despite the insecurity and danger.
According to Abdoul Salam Diagana, the communication officer at the Executive Secretariat, the action plan would serve as “compass” for communication in the G5 Sahel.
It would also enable communicators from the Executive Secretariat, the NCCs and related structures to be more active and responsive in terms of communication.
Diagana said it was essential to develop a plan to counter terror, radicalism and violent extremism in the region. He emphasised the need to publicise the projects, achievements and results of the G5 Sahel in governance, infrastructure and resilience.
The plan should target all Sahelian populations and especially those living in cross-border areas, he said.
Mamadou Diallo, the communication consultant of GIZ/Mauritania, reiterated the support of his organisation to the G5 Sahel.
For three days, participants discussed ways to develop the action plan. They listed communications specialists in member countries and agreed to share experiences before meeting in groups to produce a final document to be used as a guide for participants in their respective activities.
At the close of proceedings, Tiessira Dembélé, the head of the communication, documentation and public relations department of the G5 Sahel, welcomed the workshop, which he said paved the way for the development of a communication plan with concrete actions.
