The Arnold A. Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies presents a discussion Counter-Terrorism and Peacekeeping French Military Operations in the SAHEL with Brigadier General Thierry Lion, DGRIS—Direction Générale des Relations Internationales et de la Stratégie du Ministère de la Défense (French Ministry of Defense General Directorate for International Relations and Strategy)

Moderated by: Jason Healey, Senior Fellow, Cyber Statecraft Initiative, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security Atlantic Council; Senior Research Scholar, School of International and Public Affairs Columbia University

In the last decade jihadist, terrorism has metamorphosed into an increasingly complex global phenomenon. While local and national insurrectional and civil wars have been all too common on the African continent in modern history, the radicalized Islamist/jihadist orientation of rebel groups operating across multiple international boundaries throughout the region has transformed the scope and depth of this stubborn, enduring security threat. Accordingly, an effective response depends, not only on the resources and resolve of individual nation states, but in their ability and willingness to coordinate their strategies bilaterally with aligned nations and multilaterally within the context of regional organizations as well as with actors across the global community committed to addressing the causes and neutralizing the symptoms of these on-going conflicts.

Given its well-established presence on the African continent, its network of defense and military assistance treaties with numerous African nations, its long track record as an effective contributor to U.N. peace keeping operations and its well-proven counter-insurgency expertise, France is playing a leading role in confronting this unprecedented multinational and multifaceted terror threat. Within this context, the colloquium will:

• Address the security threat facing the SAHEL;
• Provide an overview of French military counter-terrorist and peace-keeping operations on the African continent; and
• Discuss the coordination of multi-national strategies conceived for the purpose of eradicating jihadist terrorism in the region in the long as well as short and medium term.

Public Event

Monday, November 27, 2017

12pm -2pm

1302 International Affairs Building