The debates addressing the evolution of jihadi terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda or Daesh have often mobilized the image of “metastases” after major military turning points forced these organizations to relocate and reconfigure elsewhere. In the recent “post-Califate” context, the Sahel region has increasingly been flagged as the next safe haven for jihadi elements. In the same vein, Mali has steadily become the epicentre of the associated instability. More than six years after the launching of French “Operation Serval”, both the proliferation of violent non-state actors and the multiplication of foreign initiatives (MINUSMA, EUTM, FC-G5S, etc) have made the security landscape hard to decipher. How is the situation evolving and are the military responses appropriate and efficient?

With a view to attempting to better understand the dynamics currently at work in this vast and complex part of Africa, we are pleased to welcome Prof Dr Djallil Lounnas and MajGen Jean-Paul Deconinck, who will respectively present the security situation at the regional scale and address the question of operational responses at the Malian level.

This conference will take place on Thursday 16 May 2019 at 17:00 hours in the conference centre of the Campus Renaissance (entrance: rue Hobbema 8, 1000 Brussels). The lecture will be given in French with simultaneous translation into Dutch and English. Parking is available on the Cinquantenaire esplanade in front of the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History. We are looking forward to welcoming you and kindly ask you to confirm your participation by registering online on the RHID’s website: www.rhid.be.

Pre-registration is mandatory to access the premises and must reach us not later than Tuesday 14 May 2019.

Programme:

16:30 Registration

17:00 Conference and Q & A

18:30-19:30 Reception