Bridging the Maghreb-Sahel Divide in Policy and Research: Take-aways from the MECAM Policy Talk 2025
By Clara-Auguste Süß, André Bank & Julius Dihstelhoff
As global attention increasingly turns to the interconnected realities of Africa’s northern and sub-Saharan regions, it becomes imperative to reflect critically on how we approach, define and delimit the Maghreb and the Sahel. Though often treated as distinct regional blocs in policymaking and academic research, the lived realities across these areas are deeply intertwined: historically, politically, socially, economically and environmentally. This prevailing compartmentalization risks oversimplifying complex dynamics and obstructs the development of effective, long-term strategies, particularly in light of shared challenges, such as climate-induced displacement and transnational crime.
Political frameworks are becoming increasingly entangled, with stability in one region directly influencing the other. Economic interdependence is growing, evidenced by overlapping trade networks and cross-border labor migration. Transnational threats such as terrorism, organized crime, and illicit trafficking transcend borders, calling for coordinated and cooperative security frameworks. Likewise, shared environmental crises, from desertification to water scarcity, ignore geopolitical boundaries and demand joint responses rooted in regional solidarity. As noted by MECAM’s director ‘Germany’, Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, in the Policy Talk’s opening, “these regions defy rigid categorization – they are borderlands between Mediterranean and Sahelian imaginaries”, underscoring the need to rethink static definitions. Hence, in an era shaped by global crises, geopolitical realignments, and socio-economic transformation, strengthening partnerships between the Maghreb, the Sahel, and European counterparts is no longer optional.

Motivated by these interlinked realities, the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) dedicated this year’s edition of its Policy Talk to exploring the nexus between the Maghreb and Sahel. The event’s theme “Entanglements between Maghreb and Sahel: Navigating Shared Challenges through Cooperation” aligned with MECAM’s guiding focus on “Imagining Futures: Dealing with Disparity”. Designed to connect academic analysis with policy dialogue, the event aimed to support informed political decision-making, deepen cooperation, and enhance MECAM’s visibility within Berlin’s political landscape. Organized by the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), the 2.5-day event (25–27 June 2025) brought together a wide array of experts and policymakers. It offered a platform for voices from across both regions and explored the evolving role of Germany and Europe in fostering South-South-North cooperation. The discussions centered on three strategic areas: Security, mobility and migration, and economic cooperation. The strategic area of “security” discussed, among other things, transnational threats such as terrorism and organized crime, examining for example the potential spillover effects of Sahelian instability into North African states and societies. The strategic area of “mobility and migration” addressed and critically reflected upon the ways in which EU migration policies have often exacerbated disparities in Maghreb-Sahelian transit routes. The strategic area of “economic cooperation” examined pathways to sustainable socio-economic integration, discussing for instance the potential for a reevaluation of trade corridors to reduce one-sided dependencies and to foster energy transitions.
Building on our experiences from the previous MECAM Policy Talk in November 2024, we chose to combine different event formats to ensure sufficient time and depth could be devoted to the event’s central theme. On 26 June 2025, MECAM hosted a closed-door expert workshop in the premises of the Leibniz Association and under Chatham House rules to enable open and candid dialogue. In three focused panels, 15 international experts offered insights on the aforementioned themes and engaged in critical discussion with Berlin-based practitioners, primarily from political foundations and think tanks. This interactive format allowed for focused and direct exchange on opportunities and obstacles to regional cooperation as well as current research findings.
The highlight of the event was the Policy Talk roundtable on 27 June 2025, hosted in partnership with the German Africa Foundation (DAS). Titled “Security, Migration, Economy: Enhancing Cooperation between Germany, the Maghreb, and the Sahel Amid Shared Challenges”, the discussion brought together four distinguished experts: Tasnim Abderrahim, Youssef Cherif, Dr. Fabrizio Leonardo Cuccu, and Ornella Moderan. Moderated by MECAM’s director ‘Germany’, Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, the roundtable also featured a political commentary by Axel Biallas, Team Lead Sahel at the German Federal Foreign Office, who offered practical insights from a diplomatic perspective. The event attracted a diverse audience, including representatives from federal ministries, academic institutions, regional networks, and civil society organizations. The discussion was marked by strong engagement, mutual curiosity, and a shared commitment to fostering deeper exchange and cooperation across traditional boundaries.
The conversations over the 2.5 days surfaced several key insights, four of which stood out:
1. Rethinking terminology is necessary. The terms “Maghreb” and “Sahel” are not merely geographic markers but political and discursive constructs, shaped by colonial legacies and continuous North-South asymmetries. These labels often reflect external viewpoints, rarely originating from within the regions themselves. As such, they can entrench artificial divides and hinder recognition of the deep-rooted and evolving interconnections between both geographical and social spaces. A more reflective, historically conscious approach to terminology – one that acknowledges what Senegalese scholar Boubacar Boris Diop called “the forgotten connective tissue of a continent too often divided by colonial cartographies”[1] – is essential not just in academia, but across diplomatic and development practice. Questioning how we frame regional categories opens space for more inclusive narratives and better-aligned strategies.
2. Cooperation is not static but can take various forms and evolve over time. Diplomatic relations between individual states differ in style, depth, and effectiveness, often shaped by shifting political dynamics and national priorities. While regional cooperation remains a valuable long-term objective, it is crucial to recognize that bilateral engagement, tailored to specific country contexts, can sometimes yield more tangible results, particularly in the face of regional tensions or diverging interests. As Axel Biallas of the German Foreign Office observed during the discussions, “A more pragmatic approach is needed.” Policymaking should acknowledge that bilateral formats can be more effective when multilateral frameworks are hindered by fragmentation. This does not imply abandoning a regional perspective but rather adopting a flexible approach that combines both.
3. Perceptions among actors might differ. A critical question emerged: What exactly constitutes a “shared challenge”? Priorities and threat perceptions vary significantly between Europe and the regions in question. What is considered a pressing security or migration issue in Berlin might be understood very differently in Bamako or Tunis – where, as one participant noted, “migration is often a livelihood strategy rather than a security threat.” Despite rhetoric around values and solidarity, European foreign policy – including that of Germany – remains fundamentally value- and interest-driven. The securitization of migration and external border management is a telling example. To forge equitable partnerships, we must first recognize these asymmetries and include or even center perspectives from the Maghreb and Sahel. Genuine dialogue starts with listening and with the openness to question our assumptions.
4. Institutional silos as barriers from within. As important as it is to critique policy approaches, we must also look inward. One of the most persistent barriers to transregional understanding lies within our own institutions. In academia, the Maghreb is frequently placed under Middle Eastern or Islamic studies, while the Sahel is grouped with sub-Saharan Africa – a division that reflects colonial knowledge hierarchies more than contemporary realities. This artificial separation is mirrored in governmental and development cooperation structures, where region-specific departments and funding streams often operate in isolation from one another. This structural fragmentation hampers the kind of holistic analysis and joint action that today’s transregional challenges demand. Through initiatives like our collaboration with the German Africa Foundation, we’ve seen how building bridges between these silos – whether through interdisciplinary teams, joint programming, or institutionalized exchange formats – can create cooperation that truly mirrors the interconnectedness of the regions themselves.
In conclusion, addressing the evolving realities of the Maghreb and the Sahel requires more than policy adjustments: it demands a fundamental shift in how we conceptualize space, regional boundaries and cooperation. By rethinking categories, aligning perceptions, and bridging institutional divides – guided by what Malian writer Amadou Hampâté Bâ called “the wisdom of listening to these living libraries of resilience”[2] – we hope to have contributed to a more integrated and responsive framework for both research and policy.
Notes
[1] Boubacar Boris Diop (2023): Africa Beyond the Mirror. Translated byn Bhakti Shringarpure, Seagull Books, p. 87.
[2] Paraphrased from « Discours à l’UNESCO » (1960), later published in: « Aspects de la civilisation africaine » (Paris: Présence Africaine, 1972).
About the authors
Dr. André Bank, Senior Research Fellow at the GIGA German Institute for Global and Area Studies, Institute for Middle East Studies in Hamburg. He is a member of both the Executive Council of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM), which is based in Tunis, and of the Steering Committee of the Project on Middle East Political Science (POMEPS). In his research, Dr. Bank examines dynamics of authoritarianism, violent conflict, with a focus on the Middle East.
Dr. Julius Dihstelhoff, serving as the Director ‘Germany’ of the Merian Centre for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) in Tunis/Tunisia since April 2025. Prior to this, from May 2020 to March 2025, he worked as the Academic Coordinator (Postdoc) for the center. Holding a PhD in Political Science from Philipps-Universität Marburg, his research focuses on German foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa region, political transformation processes in Tunisia, regional (re)organization in the MENA and political Islam.
Dr. Clara-Auguste Süß, serving as the Outreach and Transfer Manager for the Merian Center for Advanced Studies in the Maghreb (MECAM) since May 2024. She is responsible for organizing and coordinating MECAM’s outreach events, effectively the Rencontres Ibn Khaldun and the MECAM Policy Talk, as well as MECAM’s representation at (inter)national scientific conferences. She holds a PhD in Political Science from Goethe University Frankfurt/Main. As a Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA), her research focuses on political violence, radicalization and social movements in the Maghreb, particularly Tunisia.
Citation: Clara-Auguste Süß, André Bank, Julius Dihstelhoff, Bridging the Maghreb-Sahel Divide in Policy and Research: Take-aways from the MECAM Policy Talk 2025, in: TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research, 28.08.2025, https://trafo.hypotheses.org/60913
OpenEdition suggests that you cite this post as follows:
Forum Transregionale Studien (August 28, 2025). Bridging the Maghreb-Sahel Divide in Policy and Research: Take-aways from the MECAM Policy Talk 2025. TRAFO – Blog for Transregional Research. Retrieved February 13, 2026 from https://doi.org/10.58079/14it6



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