After its mission in the Sahel the United Nations welcomes and supports the strategy of the core countries.

The UN mission went to the core countries and the countries of West Africa where it met with officials and civil society. The assessment is that there is a potential catastrophic combination of regional war, terrorism and AQIM, famine,displacement of populations and the difficulty of trying to control events over vast desert areas. Tchad,Mali, Niger and perhaps Mauritania, some of the poorest countries in the world, risk a Somali like descent into failed statehood.

The exodus of highly armed Tuaregs and  ex Gaddafi fighters into the Mali via Niger has started a major conflict in Northern Mali and following the discovery of 43 ground to air missiles near In Amenas in Algeria it is apparent the supplies of weapons may have been buried and concealed all over the Sahel. Weapons and drug smuggling  and the kidnapping of european hostages for ransom undermine the fragile law and order situation and the stability in the region even further.According to the International Organization for Migration, 209, 030 people, 90 per cent men, left Libya to return to Niger, Mali and Mauritania. Further complicating the situation in these countries already suffering from the problem of malnutrition. Flying in food aid is now difficult because of the anti aircraft missile threat. Boko Haram in Nigeria is also trying to overthrow the government and  to displace populations through the use of semtex explosive. The Committee of Staff Joint Operations (CRIC) and the United Forces Liaison  Group(UFL) which Nigeria has joined, two mechanisms for military cooperation and intelligence and this cooperation is crucial in combatting the terrorists.

The African Centre for Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), the Great Lakes countries and those in the Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia, plan to set up mechanisms for information similar to the UFL . The UFL is responsible for both intelligence but also the definition of socio-economic projects and awareness. The strategy of the core countries based on political consultation, military cooperation, in intelligence and economic cooperation. The report also recommends a judicial cooperation between the countries concerned  The UN has approved these findings in the report.

It is evident that security and development in the Sahel are inseparable in order to prevent these  poor countries from slipping into anarchy and chaos. One urgent requirement is to counteract the long term drought and poverty and to help them build up theer economies.Regional armed forces need to cooperate closely and Algeria is leading this effort from its regional headquarters in Tamenrasset.