Community of Sahel–Saharan States

Establishment

CEN-SAD was established in February 1998 by six countries, but since then its membership has grown to 25. One of its main goals is to achieve economic unity through the implementation of the free movement of people and goods in order to make the area occupied by member states a free trade area. At the international level, CEN-SAD gained observer status at the UN General Assembly in 2001 and concluded association and cooperation accords with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and with UN specialized agencies and institutions such as UNDP, WHO, UNESCO, FAO, and the Permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel.

All CEN-SAD member countries are also participating in other African economic unions, that have the aim to create a common African Economic Community. The envisioned Free Trade Area of CEN-SAD would be hard to practically implement, because it is overlapping with the envisioned customs unions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS/CEDEAO), ECCAS and COMESA and other trade blocs more advanced in their integration.

Executive Secretaries

2005 summit

At the summit of 1–2 June 2005 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), the heads of state decided to create a "high authority for water, agriculture and seeds" in order to allow member countries to develop their agriculture through better control of water resources and seed selection. On the other hand, the summit to decide to study the construction of a railway line connecting Libya, Chad, Niger, with ramps to Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal, to facilitate exchanges and to open up the CEN-SAD space. Blaise Compaoré, president of Burkina Faso, succeeded Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré as current president of CEN-SAD.

2007 summit

The African leaders sought to reconcile differences between neighbours Chad and Sudan over the Darfur conflict and boost Somalia's embattled Transitional Federal Government at a regional summit in Libya on 3 June 2007.

2008 summit

The 10th Summit of Heads of State of the Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD) met on 28 June 2008 in Cotonou on 18 June. Its theme was Rural Development and Food Security in the CEN-SAD area. Beninese President Yayi Boni has been elected current President of CEN-SAD for a one-year term.

2013 summit

In January 2013, the Community of Sahel–Saharan States will meet in N'Djamena, Chad. A commentator said "Morocco will likely continue its steps to take command of the organization".

CEN-SAD Games

Beginning in 2009, CEN-SAD member states will take part in planned periodic international sporting and cultural festivals, known as the Community of Sahel–Saharan States Games (Jeux de la Communauté des Etats Sahélo-Sahariens). The first CEN-SAD Games were held in Niamey, Niger from 4–14 February 2009. Thirteen nations competed in Under-20 sports (athletics, basketball, judo, football, handball, table tennis and traditional wrestling) and six fields of cultural competition (song, traditional creation and inspiration dancing, painting, sculpture and photography). The second CEN-SAD Games was scheduled to take place in the Chadian capitol of N'Djamena in February 2011.

List of members ==

References

References

1. Staff writer. (2024). "Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)". [[Union of International Associations]].
2. "CEN-SAD – The Community of Sahel-Saharan States {{!}} United Nations Economic Commission for Africa".
3. Union, African. "CEN SAD".
4. (13 March 2003). "Relations with the Community of Sahelo-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) and draft agreement between UNESCO and this organization".
5. "Communiqué Final de la session extraordinaire de la Conférence des Chefs d'Etat et/ou de Gouvernement de la CEN-SAD à N'Djamena (Tchad), le 16 février 2013-African Union – Peace and Security Department".
6. (12 December 2021). "CEN-SAD: l'ancien PM Brigi Rafini va remplacer Ibrahim Sani Abani au secrétariat exécutif".
7. Atafa, Ahmadou. (23 June 2023). "M. Ado Elhadj ABOU remplace Brigi RAFINI aux commandes du secrétariat exécutif de la CEN-SAD".
8. (February 2022)
9. {{in lang. fr Bénin : Yayi Boni élu président en exercice de la CEN-SAD, Pana, 18 juin 2008
10. Nickels, Benjamin P.. (3 January 2013). "Morocco's Engagement with the Sahel Community". SADA.
11. (September 2017)
12. (August 2017)
13. "BENIN en Chiffres".
14. "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2018".
15. "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects – Burkina Faso".
16. [[United Nations]], Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2019). "World Population prospects – Population division".
17. (2019). "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects – Central African Republic". [[International Monetary Fund]].
18. (July 2014). "Projections demographiques 2009–2050 Tome 1: Niveau national". INSEED.
19. (2018). "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects – Chad". [[International Monetary Fund]].
20. (4 February 2011). "CEN-SAD celebrates 13th anniversary". Panapress.
21. "Report for Selected Countries and Subjects – Comoros". [[International Monetary Fund]].
22. Morocco: the area {{convert. 446550. km2. 710850. km2. 22.8. km2
23. "Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census National Analytical Report".
24. "Sierra Leone".
25. Membership of [[Sudan]] in CEN-SAD was formerly including [[South Sudan]], but only before its independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011; after its independence, South Sudan did not join CEN-SAD, but joined [[East African Community. EAC]] instead, while also choosing to remain in [[Intergovernmental Authority on Development. IGAD]].
26. "Sudan – Official population clock".
27. (21 May 2009). "Discontent over Sudan census". News24.
28. "Sudan – PPP GDP". [[International Monetary Fund]].
29. "Sudan – PPP per capita". [[International Monetary Fund]].
30. "Population". National Institute of Statistics-Tunisia.
31. "Tunisia". [[International Monetary Fund]].