Sahel or high water: Mali’s political fatalism
Mali's presidential election will determine the country's future path either toward stability or a return to violence
Experts & Staff
Andrew Lebovich
ECFR Alumni · Policy Fellow
Areas of expertise
Religion, politics, and society in North Africa; the Sahara; the Sahel
Languages
English, French, Arabic
Biography
Andrew Lebovich was a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. His research focuses on North Africa and the Sahel.
Lebovich is currently a doctoral candidate in African History at Columbia University in New York, where he studies religion, politics, and society in North Africa, the Sahara, and the Sahel. He previously worked for the Open Society Initiative in West Africa (OSIWA) as a Sahel consultant, advising the organisation on political, social, and security issues in West Africa and the Sahel, and for the New America Foundation. He has lived and conducted field and archival research in France, Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Mali, and Niger.
Lebovich graduated Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in History in 2009. His writings have appeared in Foreign Policy, The Atlantic, and the Combating Terrorism Center’s publication Sentinel, among other outlets.
Mali’s impunity problem and growing security crisis
On June 13 Malian soldiers and security forces were responsible for killing more than 30 civilians throughout the country – the government and international forces have been unable to reverse the trend
Blocked arteries: The EU’s problem with African integration
Encouraging regional integration could improve economic diversification and economic security in North Africa, while encouraging the regional labour migration that has long helped sustain the Sahel and West Africa
G5 Sahel: Much done, more to do
Significant progress on funding and co-ordination, but problematic partnerships with local militias and abuses by security services still hamper prospects for EU’s Sahel strategy
Misunderstanding migration in North and West Africa
A shocking report on the apparent slave trade in migrants trapped in Libya has focused European attention on combatting smugglers. But ‘cracking down’ on migrant networks is not the answer
Sahel visit leaves fundamental issues unaddressed
UNSC delegation continues to focus on technical implementation rather than tackling political problems
Still wanted: New approaches to migration for Europe
The recent high-level Paris meeting on managing migration from Africa still falls far short of resolving the issue
Bringing the desert together: How to advance Sahel-Maghreb integration
Policy recommendations Develop a joint framework on migration among the countries of the Sahel, the broader West African region, and the Maghreb. Help countries in…
Serious questions remain over G5 Sahel military force
France is pushing for regional military support, but the proposed force risks causing more harm than good
L’Algérie : quel partenaire au Maghreb et au Sahel ?
Nouveau podcast de notre série sur l'élection présidentielle de 2017 ayant pour objectif de traiter les thèmes d'actualité et de contribuer au débat…
Publications
The fall of the Afghan government and what it means for Europe
ECFR’s policy experts examine what the Taliban takeover means for countries and regions around the world: Europe, the US, the Middle East, Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, and the Sahel
Disorder from Chaos: Why Europeans fail to promote stability in the Sahel
The Alliance aimed to integrate security, development, and governance perspectives but has struggled to find coherence and effectiveness
Sacred struggles: How Islam shapes politics in Mali
Religious issues and leadership play an increasingly important role in Mali, but international actors are ill-equipped to understand and analyse this
Halting ambition: EU migration and security policy in the Sahel
Some European leaders see stabilisation of the region – through curbing migration and counter terror threats – as key to the future of the European project
Bringing the desert together: How to advance Sahel-Maghreb integration
Policy recommendations Develop a joint framework on migration among the countries of the Sahel, the broader West African region, and the Maghreb. Help countries in…
Deciphering Algeria: the stirrings of reform?
Despite speculation of crisis waiting in the wings, Algeria is making tentative steps towards opening its economy and confronting political transition
Articles
Russia’s long shadow in the Sahel
The EU’s values-led foreign policy and its stabilisation objectives in the Sahel are in tension with each other. Russia is now waiting to exploit that tension
Why UN votes shouldn’t define Europe-Africa relations
Many Europeans were disappointed with how African countries voted on UN resolutions to condemn Russia’s war on Ukraine. But they should remember that African states still need to diversify their partnerships
Endless concessions: Spain’s tilt to Morocco
Spain’s recent move has little to do with peace in Western Sahara and everything to do with its desire to mend ties with Morocco. But, ultimately, Spain has only made itself more vulnerable to Moroccan pressure
Russia, Wagner Group, and Mali: How European fears weaken European policy
Europeans reacted sharply to the news of Wagner Group’s interest in Mali – and interviews suggest the company has been present in the country. But European states and the EU remain the dominant security and development player in the Sahel
After Barkhane: What France’s military drawdown means for the Sahel
Emmanuel Macron took allies by surprise when he announced the end of Operation Barkhane. But his new plans do not appear to offer the change of tack the Sahel needs
How France and the US can work to stabilise the Sahel
After the indifference of the Trump years, the Biden administration should broaden and deepen its cooperation with France in the Sahel
Why the Western Sahara dispute could escalate conflicts across North Africa and the Sahel
Fighters across the region may be drawn in if the violence continues, as has happened for years in Libya’s cascading internal and proxy wars
Mali’s transitional government: The dangers of the junta clinging to power
There are promising signs in Mali’s new government, but the international community must take action now to ensure the military junta cedes power to civilians.
How to ensure Mali’s coup leads to a true democratic transition
The coup creates an opportunity to address the crucial, intertwined issues of reform and consultation – issues that have been neglected by the authorities at key points in Mali’s recent history
Unchecked escalation: Why Mali is in turmoil
Mali’s politics is undergoing radical change, partly due to years of discontent with its entire political and economic elite
Specials
Mapping armed groups in Mali and the Sahel
Violence is tearing Mali and the Sahel apart. But who are the armed groups behind the bloodshed? Where are international actors stationed in the region? And what motivates them all?
Podcasts
The EU and France in the Sahel
What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel?
Accès humanitaire et risques sécuritaires au Sahel
Podcast de notre BCM du 14 juin « Accès humanitaire et risques sécuritaires au Sahel » en présence de Lucile Grosjean, chargée de…
Protests in Algeria: A fifth term for Bouteflika?
Mark Leonard speaks with Andrew Lebovich, Anthony Dworkin and Chloe Teevan, about what the demonstrators want, and EU-Algeria relations. Bookshelf: La Martingale Algérienne, Réflexions…
The Sahel: A transit region for migration
Mark Leonard speaks with Shoshana Fine and Andrew Lebovich about what is Europe trying to so in the Sahel. Bookshelf: The Good Immigrant by Nico…
Les politiques migratoires et de sécurité de l’Union européenne dans le Sahel
Podcast de notre BCM du 9 octobre : « Les politiques migratoires et de sécurité de l’Union européenne dans le Sahel » avec Giovanni Faleg,…
L’Algérie : quel partenaire au Maghreb et au Sahel ?
Nouveau podcast de notre série sur l'élection présidentielle de 2017 ayant pour objectif de traiter les thèmes d'actualité et de contribuer au débat…
Sahel : comment l’intégration régionale peut favoriser la stabilité
Podcast du Black Coffee Morning “Sahel : comment l’intégration régionale peut favoriser la stabilité” du 13/06/2017, animé par Fransje Molenaar, chercheuse à l'Unité…
The Sahel: a key region for France and Europe
Nouveau podcast de notre série sur les présidentielles de 2017 ayant pour objectif de traiter les thèmes d'actualité et de contribuer au débat dans…
Conference on the Maghreb region and its relation with Europe
Conférence donnée à l'ENS le 9/12/15 par Andrew Lebovich, chercheur invité de l'ECFR et Anthony Dworkin, Senior Policy Fellow de l'ECFR. Introduction par Manuel Lafont…
The terrorist threat in North Africa – how it is developing and how to counter it
Riccardo Fabiani, senior analyst at the Eurasia Group, Andrew Lebovich, visiting fellow at ECFR, Mattia Toaldo, policy fellow for ECFR's Middle East & North…
Events
15 Feb
What way forward for Europe in the Sahel?
The European Council on Foreign Relations is delighted to invite you to our webinar on what the latest developments mean for Europe’s engagement in the Sahel.
3 May
Rebalancing security and governance in the Sahel: Possible avenues for German intervention
This event is part of the German Forum on Security Policy #DFS2021
19 Jan
The impact of European policy on the migration crisis
ECFR Paris is delighted to invite you to a virtual seminar on the migration crisis and European cooperation
In the media
Tchiani’s criticism of Bazoum’s approach and of how security partnerships have worked in the past will certainly make the U.S., France and the European Union uneasy
Andrew Lebovich on the coup in Niger
French President Emmanuel Macron outlined a new “framework for security cooperation” as part of a new approach to relations with African countries
Andrew Lebovich analyses how France shifts gears in the Sahel region as Russia’s influence grows
French forces eliminated a significant number of jihadist fighters and leaders, operating under incredibly difficult circumstances and at high risk
Andrew Lebovich comments on the withdrawal of French forces from Mali
Andrew Lebovich is quoted by Liberation on Al-Qaeda in Mali
Andrew Lebovich joins FRANCE 24 to put the French withdrawal from Mali in greater perspective