Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD): All Our Northern Brethren

This chapter examines one of the last RECs to be formed in 1998. Slightly over two decades after its formation, the CEN-SAD, the Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD) (FR: Communauté des Etats Sahélo-Sahariens; POR: Comunidade dos Estados Sahelo-Saarianos), had grown the fastest, having 29 members as of early 2022. Although the first six members were located in the Sahel region, and the headquarters was located in Libya, it moved to N'Djamena, Chad, in 2019. It was hardly an inspiring choice considering the disquiet in both countries. The chapter discusses the cross-purposes, and multi-purpose nature of CEN-SAD. On the one hand, the formation of a new REC, when 6 (7) already existed was slightly confounding. Further, all the members of CEN-SAD belonged to other RECs, which have seen periodic fluctuations as members swapped one REC for another. This suggested that either major dysfunctions of existing RECs presented, or CEN-SAD was just a quest for influence especially by Libya (with Gaddafi’s undisguised ambition to be Africa’s leader or king). On the other, CEN-SAD’s rapid growth to 29 members, 53% of African nations, suggests that a continental Free Trade Area, customs union and monetary union was in the offing. This was however accomplished through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), again questioning the need for another REC like CEN-SAD. The chapter examines ways in which CEN-SAD was pulled into regional squabbles, with Libya and Chad intervening in other member countries’ internal affairs, e.g., Central African Republic, although the apparatus to do so were weak. The chapter questions whether there was a need for CEN-SAD, or whether it was a round-about tool for Gaddafi’s African ambitions after being thwarted over his AU schemes.