A new SIPRI report argues that the region’s future will not be determined by military might or foreign aid alone — it will hinge on whether governments, communities, and international actors can finally learn to work together to build social cohesion.
The report, From Silos to Synergies: Partnering for Social Cohesion in the Sahel, written by Simone Bunse, Caroline Delgado, and Rachel Blair, paints an unvarnished picture of a region where overlapping crises — conflict, climate change, and economic distress — have fragmented societies. Yet, it also offers a hopeful roadmap: one that puts collaboration, trust, and community resilience at the heart of peacebuilding. The authors call for a fundamental shift in how international actors engage, arguing that “the strength of the Sahel will depend not on the scale of external aid, but on the depth of social ties between its people and institutions.”
Over the past decade, international attention to the Sahel has intensified. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — the so-called “central Sahel” — have become epicenters of violence and displacement. Between 2020 and 2024, attacks by armed groups surged, forcing millions from their homes. The United Nations estimates that more than 2.8 million people are currently internally displaced across the three countries. Meanwhile, humanitarian needs have reached record levels: nearly 17 million people now face acute food insecurity. Yet, despite billions in foreign aid and multiple peace operations, instability persists and even deepens.
According to SIPRI’s analysis, one reason lies in the fragmented approach of international partners. “Actors have often worked in silos — development agencies focusing on service delivery, security forces on counterterrorism, and civil society on dialogue — without aligning their efforts,” the authors write. This compartmentalization, they argue, undermines collective impact and erodes the very social fabric that peacebuilding depends on.
Social cohesion, as the report defines it, is both the “glue” and the “lubricant” of society — the trust, relationships, and shared values that hold communities together. In the Sahel, where the state’s presence is often limited or mistrusted, this cohesion can be a lifeline. SIPRI’s field research shows that communities with stronger local networks are more capable of resisting recruitment by violent groups, managing conflicts peacefully, and maintaining livelihoods under stress.
Yet, these very networks are under strain. Years of conflict and displacement have redrawn social boundaries and disrupted traditional authority structures. Climate shocks — including recurring droughts and resource competition — have further deepened grievances. Meanwhile, the rapid growth of armed self-defense groups has blurred lines between protection and violence. “In many places,” the report notes, “the social contract between citizens and the state has collapsed, leaving people to fend for themselves.”
The study’s authors argue that rebuilding social cohesion must therefore become a central objective of all interventions in the Sahel — not just an afterthought. To illustrate, they highlight several promising examples. In northern Burkina Faso, local peace committees that include traditional leaders, women, and youth have helped mediate disputes over land and access to water, preventing escalation into violence. In Niger, community dialogue initiatives supported by international NGOs have improved relations between displaced populations and host communities, reducing tensions that previously fueled recruitment by extremist groups.
Still, SIPRI warns that such efforts remain “fragmented, short-term, and poorly coordinated.” Funding cycles are often too brief to allow trust to develop. Projects designed in foreign capitals rarely align with local realities. Moreover, donors tend to prioritize quantifiable outputs — such as numbers of workshops held or participants trained — over the more subtle and long-term process of rebuilding trust.
The report also exposes a paradox at the heart of the Sahel’s international engagement: while everyone talks about “integration,” institutions remain structurally divided. Development, humanitarian, and security actors operate under different mandates and incentives, with little communication between them. For example, one international agency may invest in schools to strengthen education access, while another funds counterterrorism operations in the same area — with no coordination on how these actions affect community trust or perceptions of fairness.
To break this cycle, SIPRI calls for a shift “from silos to synergies.” The authors outline three key priorities. First, they argue for greater alignment between peace, development, and humanitarian strategies — what they term a “cohesive approach to cohesion.” Second, they emphasize the need to empower local actors, particularly women and youth, who are often sidelined in formal peace processes despite being central to community resilience. Third, they urge donors to adopt longer-term and more flexible funding models that can adapt to local dynamics rather than impose rigid templates.
A striking aspect of the report is its emphasis on partnership as a process, not a product. The authors argue that social cohesion cannot be delivered or measured through conventional aid frameworks. Instead, it grows through relationships — through dialogue, shared decision-making, and mutual accountability. They cite research showing that initiatives co-designed with communities are significantly more likely to endure after external funding ends.
The report also situates the Sahel’s crisis within a broader geopolitical context. The withdrawal of several Western security missions, coupled with the rise of new alliances and regional military juntas, has reshaped the political landscape. In this environment, social cohesion becomes both more difficult and more necessary. As trust in state institutions wanes, communities turn inward, sometimes reinforcing exclusion and conflict. Building cohesion, therefore, requires not only strengthening local networks but also rebuilding legitimacy at the state level.
SIPRI’s analysis underscores that social cohesion is not inherently peaceful. “Cohesion can unite communities against perceived outsiders,” the authors caution. In parts of Mali and Niger, armed groups have exploited strong in-group ties to mobilize violence against others. For this reason, the report argues, cohesion-building must be linked to inclusion — ensuring that bonds of trust extend across, not just within, communities.
Looking ahead, the authors propose a framework for action that includes four strategic shifts: from reactive crisis management to proactive prevention; from externally driven aid to locally led partnerships; from isolated projects to integrated systems; and from short-term metrics to long-term impact. They stress that these shifts require humility and patience from international actors — a willingness to listen, learn, and relinquish control.
The report draws attention to several positive policy developments. The United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and the African Union’s Sahel Peace and Security Architecture both include commitments to strengthen social cohesion. However, implementation has lagged behind rhetoric. According to SIPRI’s mapping of donor programs, fewer than 10 percent explicitly mention cohesion as an objective, and even fewer allocate funding to measure or sustain it.
One of the most sobering findings is the erosion of public trust. Surveys across the central Sahel show declining confidence in both state and international institutions. In Mali, for example, only around one in five citizens now expresses trust in government authorities. This erosion of legitimacy has profound implications: without trust, even well-intentioned reforms can backfire, deepening cynicism and division.
The authors conclude that rebuilding social cohesion in the Sahel will be a generational task — but one that cannot wait. They warn that if current trajectories continue, the region could face an entrenched cycle of instability that no amount of military or humanitarian intervention can fix. Conversely, if local partnerships and inclusive governance take root, the Sahel could become a model for resilience in a fragile world.
“Social cohesion is not a luxury,” the report declares. “It is the foundation on which peace, security, and development depend.” In a region where so much has been lost to fragmentation, that message feels both urgent and overdue. The Sahel’s crossroads moment is not about choosing between peace and security, or between local and international priorities. It is about rediscovering the power of connection — the human bonds that make societies whole.
