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* elements extracted from the report of the coordinators meeting in Paris - June 2008

Context and challenges of the region

1. This area extends from the west of Senegal to Africa’s horn; however, the project’s territory will be smaller: mainly, the north of Senegal, Mauritania, the north of Mali, but also opening into Burkina, Nigeria and the southern periphery of Maghreb
2. A cultural coherence (Islam, multi-secular exchanges born in the Sahara, passage way where all civilizations from this region were born and intertwined)
3. A conflict zone, such as the Tuaregs’ region in the north on Mali, and a political instability zone - this region is a wide dispute area among powers (the US, France, Spain) and it is a tension area between local powers and armed actors
4. The people from this region have deep historical roots, but the countries are fragmented and the inhabitants are distanced; the importance of the spoken word marks their culture
5. Mines and oil bring in foreign interest
6. Hard work is already taking place : the Alliance to re-found the government in Africa; a true dynamic which is multiplied in different ways – a Citizens’ Assembly in Mali, the North Peace Forum, the continuation of the Social Forum in Maghreb…
   
   

Methodological axes

1. Geographically define the work of the Citizens’ Assembly
2. Diagnose the issues to deal with and spot the people – essential resources – in order to create, later on, strategies and action plans
3. Let go of already instituted parties and institutions
4. Build a dynamics to contribute to ease tensions through the integration of the peoples into the process of governance