Dutch Foreign Minister shifts Sahel policy: less aid and fewer diplomats in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, new embassy in Chad

For years, the Sahel was a cornerstone of Dutch efforts to combat terrorism, reduce irregular migration and promote stability on Europe’s southern flank. But after a wave of military coups, growing insecurity and expanding Russian influence, The Hague is now asking a difficult question: how much can it still achieve in a region that is increasingly closing itself off from the West? The answer is reshaping Dutch diplomacy, aid spending and security policy across one of Africa’s most fragile regions.