Navigating Norway’s Engagement Amidst Rapid Changes – lessons from the Sahel
In recent months, the Sahel region has witnessed significant changes. Our evaluation completed its data collection in March and the report was written in May. By June, we learned that MINUSMA (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali) had to withdraw from Mali by the end of the year. July saw another coup in the region, this time in Niger. And as August concluded, news arrived that the Norwegian Embassy in Mali would close down by year’s end. In addition, there has been an escalation of violence in the whole region and growing disunity among the nations in the region.
Such rapid shifts pose crucial questions:
- What do these unpredictable events signify for a donor like Norway?
- How should the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and aid administration adapt their Sahel strategy?
- What implications arise for Norway’s implementing partners? How can these partners effectively assess and monitor their projects amidst such volatility?
- What lessons can Norway draw from its engagement in the Sahel that could be applied to other complex crises such as the Ukraine crisis?
Join us on October 26th at 9-10.15 (CET) To dive deep into these questions and engage in a dialogue. For those that join us physically, breakfast will be served from 8.30 at Norad.
The evaluation and recommendations will be presented by the evaluation team leader, Ananda Millard PhD, and the Department for Evaluation. The state secretary, Bjørg Sandskjær, will respond to the recommendations before we enter into a panel discussion between:
- Elisabeth Schwabe-Hansen, head of the Section for Horn of Africa and West Africa, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Anne Cathrine Seland, Country Director Sahel 2018-2023, Norwegian Church Aid,
- Jorun Nossum, Director Department for the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine, Norad
- Ornella Moderan, independent Sahel researcher
Anita Haslie, senior advisor in the Department for Evaluation, will moderate the discussion.
The event is livestreamed here
Please note that the meeting will be streamed and you may be visible on the video stream.