British Parliament: London's Withdrawal from the Sahel Is a Strategic Mistake

The United Kingdom's presence in the African Sahel region is extremely limited, prompting the British Parliament to launch a new investigation into its level of engagement in stability and development efforts amidst the expansion of Russian and Chinese influence.

In July, the House of Commons' International Development Committee established an inquiry titled "The UK and the Sahel" to assess the UK's presence in these countries. It is now preparing to publish the information gathered by its teams on this issue over the past few months.

Although the report's executive summary has not yet been published on the Parliament website, British sources have revealed its general findings, which raised the issue of London's weak presence in the region. The European state's presence was described as "extremely limited" compared to the UK's stated ambitions.

This inquiry differs from the previous one conducted in 2014 under the title "UK response to extremism and instability in North and West Africa." Since then, Britain has withdrawn from participation in stabilization efforts in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso at a time when extremism is spreading more widely from remote or marginalized areas due to economic hardship and weak state security apparatuses.

Wagner Corps and Alliances in the Region
The expansion of the Wagner Corps and later the African Corps posed a challenge to governments previously allied with the West, undermining the work of peace missions and British embassies, exacerbating humanitarian crises such as population displacement and violence against civilians, and forcing London to rethink its development aid and regional diplomacy.

The British government doubled sanctions targeting Wagner leaders and supply networks in Africa, including in the Central African Republic, Mali, and other associated private military companies, to freeze their assets and cut off their financial flows.

Not far from Russian military and political influence, China is expanding through its investments in infrastructure in the Sahel, where anti-Western sentiments have reshaped global competition for vital natural resources. In Niger, activities of the French company Orano faced significant obstruction.

Beijing's Strategy to Secure Raw Materials
China is one of the largest investors in Africa, particularly in strategic minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper. Investments estimated at billions of dollars in lithium projects in Mali and cobalt fields in the Democratic Republic of Congo are seen as part of Beijing's strategy to secure raw materials of critical importance in the energy sector transition.

In turn, the British government expressed concern during its last session held at the UN Security Council regarding the deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation across West Africa and the Sahel region.

It condemned the recent coordinated attacks in Mali, which demonstrate a worrying increase in the sophistication, coordination, and spread of extremist and armed groups in the country.

Approximately 6.8 million people are displaced in the Sahel region, and calls are made for full, safe, rapid, and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those in need.

Lack of Opposition Participation
The UK supports efforts by providing $232 million in aid across the region.

Conversely, it is concerned about the lack of opposition participation in elections, the shrinking political and civic space, and the concentration of executive power in parts of the region. It considers inclusive political processes, accountable institutions, and credible elections essential for long-term stability.

It also encourages all actors to support dialogue and cooperation.