The Sahel region of Africa has been synonymous with poverty, war, environmental stress, and lawlessness for decades. Organized crime and smuggling drain billions of illicit flows out of the region annually, reducing state capacity to provide basic services, and inhibiting meaningful development progress. Weak centralized governments, such as Niger, Mali, and Chad have struggled to maintain authority and control over massive swaths of land filled with armed militias and groups affiliated with extremists.

“Spreading good governance, supporting social and political reform, dealing with corruption and abuse of power, establishing the rule of law and protecting human rights are the best means of strengthening the international order.”[1] Taken from the European Security Strategy Framework, this quote clearly illustrates the aims and priorities of the EU in its peacekeeping missions and operations, but when it comes to translating this policy into actions, there are gaps that need to be fille