In the Sahel region, two out of three inhabitants live off agriculture and breeding livestock. However, yields are low and over a third of crops are lost every year, so food insecurity is high and this situation is worsened by climate change. One of the Sahel Alliance’s priorities is the development of sustainable agriculture that is climate-resistant and able to reduce poverty and malnutrition.

Access to drinking water, primary health care or social protection is still limited in the Sahel region, especially outside large cities. The region is also marked by a high rate of infant mortality. Bringing administrations closer to their citizens means decentralization, thanks to the transfer of budgetary management to local authority level. The Sahel Alliance is committed to reinforcing the needs of local authorities in terms of providing basic services.

The birthrate remains high in the Sahel countries, while life expectancy is increasing. Creating economic opportunities for the population and, first and foremost, for young people, is a priority for the Sahel Alliance. This calls for more generalized access to teaching and job opportunities.

There is an electrification rate of around 20% in all the Sahel countries; this is four times lower than the global average and two times less than the average of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Public action and innovation can help to reduce this gap. Since the region enjoys plentiful sunshine, the Sahel Alliance intends to increase the number of people with access to reliable, affordable and renewable electricity.

The Sahel countries face a lack of institutional, territorial and financial governance. Citizens are demanding more justice and wish to participate more in the democratic life of their country. A combination of administrative hold-ups, corruption and poor resource redistribution means that citizens have little confidence in their government. Reinforcing the social contract in the Sahel countries is a goal for the Sahel Alliance.