2.1. Brief History (Mission, Members etc

2. THE COMMUNITY OF SAHEL–SAHARAN STATES

CEN–SAD Member States: Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, the Sudan, Togo and Tunisia

2.1. Brief History (Mission, Members etc.)

The Community of Sahel–Saharan States (Communauté des États Sahélo-Sahariens, CEN–SAD) was founded in 1998, following the Conference of Leaders and Heads of States held in Tripoli, Libya. Two years later, in 2000, CEN–SAD became a REC during the 36th Ordinary Session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity.326 CEN–SAD has observer status at the UN following the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 56/92. With 24 members and covering an area greater than half of the African continent, CEN–SAD is one of the largest RECs in Africa. All of its members are directly connected to and affected by the Sahara Desert; thus, CEN–SAD is mandated to establish a knowledge-based economic union to face drought and aridity.327

Article 1 of the Treaty Establishing CEN–SAD states that the objectives of the Community are to 1) establish a comprehensive economic union with a particular focus on the agricultural, industrial, social, cultural and energy domains; 2) adopt measures to promote free movement of individuals and capital; 3) promote measures to encourage foreign trade, transportation and telecommunications among Member States; 4) promote measures to coordinate educational systems; and 5) promote cooperation in cultural, scientific and technical fields.328 CEN–SAD also focuses on strengthening peace, security and stability, which are supported by provisions in the Security Charter and the Niamey Declaration.329

In 2013, CEN–SAD held an extraordinary session of the Conference of the Heads of State and Government to restructure and revive the Community. During the session, the delegates adopted a Revised Treaty. This emphasises deepened cooperation in regional security and sustainable development and gives renewed focus to the objectives of the Treaty Establishing CEN–SAD. The organisational structure of CEN–SAD under the revised Treaty consists of eight organs and institutions, including the Conference of Heads of State/ Government, the Executive Council, the Permanent Peace and Security Council, the Permanent Council in charge of Sustainable Development and the Economic Social and Cultural Council. The Revised Treaty will come into force after 15 ratifications; to date, 13 Member States have ratified it.330