Background

The Sahel - a vast and diverse region that stretches from the Atlantic coast of Senegal to the borders of Chad, stands amidst both challenges and immense potential. Made up of Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and The Gambia, the region is home to over 384 million people. The region is characterised by its rich cultural diversity, strategic geopolitical significant and youthful demographic, which present unique opportunities and challenges.

Despite issues such as political instability, conflict and climate change affecting some of the Sahelian countries, the region continued to demonstrate remarkable resilience driven by the desires and ambitions of its people to create change for themselves and their communities. Recent strides toward political stability and democratic governance in several countries, coupled with ongoing regional cooperation efforts, have started to give rise to a new narrative anchored on opportunity rather than adversity.

The Sahel's diverse cultures and histories, from the nomadic communities in the arid north to the vibrant coastal cities in the west, contribute to its rich tapestry of life. These elements, along with the region’s abundant natural resources, are critical levers for its economic development. Recent initiatives in technology, agriculture, and renewable energy illustrate the region's capacity for adaptation and growth. As the region navigates this transformation, there is a pressing need for platforms that amplify local voices and foster a deeper understanding of the Sahel's dynamic landscape.

This is where the #IAMSahel campaign steps in, aiming to highlight efforts being undertaken by Sahelians to drive sustainable transformation and spotlight opportunities often overshadowed by the prevailing focus on conflicts and crises.

This launch event aims to introduce the #IAMSahel campaign, showcasing the resilience and ingenuity of the Sahelians and engaging a global audience in the narrative of opportunity and growth within the region.

Rationale

The online launch is a crucial part of the UNDP’s #IAMSAHEL campaign. This virtual event aims to engage journalists and media personnel worldwide, ensuring a broad and impactful reach. The digital platform allows for interactive engagement, ensuring that the diverse narratives of the Sahel are shared widely and effectively.

Objectives

1. Introduce the #IAMSahel campaign to a global audience, highlighting why the campaign and the expected outcome.
2. Showcase transformative impact stories and initiatives from the Sahel that illustrate ingenuity, resilience and innovation – in a way that the media hardly tells or covers.
3. Engage journalists and media personnel, encouraging them to relook at the narratives about the Sahel to provide a well-balanced story.
4. Foster a balanced discourse that recognizes challenges but predominantly helps to surface transformative developments, actions, and tangible opportunities within the Sahel that put Sahelians in the driver’s seat.

Expected Outcomes

1. Initiate conversations that can help unearth a new narrative of the Sahel through extensive lobbying for media coverage (national, regional, and international) and social media engagement.
2. Create a platform for the Sahelian voices to foster a better understanding of the context, emerging possibilities and the region’s potential for investment.
3. Enhance local digital communication and storytelling capacities to ensure ownership and authentic or organic scale-up of the campaign.

Format

The virtual launch will be structured into a 60-minute interactive session. The event will include key remarks, campaign teasers and insights, and Q&A sessions with invited press with simultaneous interpretation in english and french available.

To register, please click here.