Hungary and the Sahel Region in the 21st century

Abstract

The increased importance of the Sahel for Hungary is not a coincidence, but an organic consequence of the evolution of Hungarian foreign and security policy in recent years. It has also been part of a Europe-wide trend in which the previously fragmented and ad hoc EU and member state engagement has increasingly focused on the Sahel. The shift in geographical focus has also involved a conceptual shift from one-dimensional tasks to more complex plans involving both governmental and non-governmental actors and commitments. Both the general and specific Hungarian knowledge of the Sahel needs to be further broadened and deepened, for which the government's cooperation with international and African actors, as well as with national and international academia, is essential. The paper reviews the development of Hungarian Africa policy chronologically, focusing on the place and role of the Sahel in Hungarian foreign and security policy. The paper analyses a number of documents and media reports, complemented by interviews with relevant actors.