The Afro-Atlantic Space amid Sahelian Fragmentation: The Atlantic Initiative as a Regional Integration Framework

Abstract

West Africa is undergoing a major geopolitical metamorphosis, illustrated by internal developments such as the withdrawal of the Sahel States Alliance (AES) countries from ECOWAS and the establishment of a Confederation of Sahel States (CES). In the face of Sahelian fragmentation marked by political instability and the reconfiguration of regional alliances, Morocco offered to provide Chad and the three AES states maritime access to the Atlantic Ocean through the port of Dakhla. The proposal, presented in November 2023, constituted a royal initiative aimed at providing landlocked Sahel countries with access to the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the Sahel remains an indispensable component for Moroccan diplomacy. It is in this spirit that this paper aims to highlight the role of the Atlantic Initiative in facilitating the integration of the Sahel nations. The research analyzes the potential of this project to serve as a catalyst for regional integration amid institutional dysfunction and escalating geopolitical tensions. The study highlights both the potential and limitations of the Atlantic initiative as a vehicle for continental unity, positioned at the intersection of Atlantic and Sahelian dynamics.