Saudi Gazette report
NOUAKCHOTT — Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it has pledged 100 million euro (over $113 million) in anti-terror aid for the five Sahel states (G5 Sahel).
Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Qattan announced this at the opening ceremony of the Coordination Conference of G5 Sahel Partners and Funders for Financing of Priority Investment Program (PIP) for 2019-2021 in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott.
He said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has ordered 100 million euros in aid to support the group of five, adding that half of this amount would be allocated to support the priority investments of the group of five in Africa's Sahel region. The G5 Sahel States consist of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Burkina Faso and Chad.
Qattan said that half of the amount would fund development programs, stressing that the Kingdom aims to support the stability of these nations by curbing extremism. The Kingdom’s participation in the conference underscores its role in promoting development and stability and its keenness to support efforts to combat extremism and terrorism in the Sahel region. The total pledges in the conference topped $2.7 billion.
Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou told reporters that these pledges from our partners broadly cover the overall needs of around 40 development projects to fight extremism in the region. The five Sahel countries had sought 1.9 billion euros to help them fund projects in border regions vulnerable to extremists.
They themselves provide 13 percent of that sum. Governments hope that with an array of projects, including building schools and health centers and improving access to water, they can prevent communities from falling under the influence of extremists.