The African Sahel Region: Challenges and Opportunities

2024 Vol. 2: Mar/Apr

A recent trip to one of the Sahel countries opened my mind and heart to this part of the continent of Africa. While the Sahel has a thriving Christian community and a dynamic Church that is impacting the region, most Sahel countries still face major challenges. For example, of the twenty countries in the world with the Highest population growth, nineteen are in Africa and the majority of those are in the Sahel itself. Experts believe this astronomical population explosion will likely result in massive famine in the coming years in certain areas of the Sahel. Coupled with the threat of overpopulation leading to potential famine is the threat of radical Islam. Global analysts have labeled the Sahel as the “new Afghanistan.”