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Community of Sahel–Saharan States facts for kids

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Community of Sahel–Saharan States

تجمع دول الساحل والصحراء
Communauté des Etats Sahélo-Sahariens
Comunidade dos Estados Sahelo-Saarianos
Emblem of the Community of Sahel–Saharan States
Emblem
     Founding members      Countries joining later
     Founding members      Countries joining later
Headquarters Libya Tripoli
Official languages
Type Trade bloc
Membership 29 member states
Leaders
• Secretary General
Brigi Rafini (acting)
Establishment
• Agreement signed
4 February 1998
Area
• Total
14,300,000 km2 (5,500,000 sq mi)
GDP (PPP) estimate
• Total
$1,350.7 billion (2014)
• Per capita
$1,363.8 (2014)
Website
https://archive.uneca.org/oria/pages/cen-sad-community-sahel-saharan-states


The Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN-SAD) is a group of countries in Africa. Its main goal is to help these countries work together. They want to create a free trade area. This means goods and people can move easily between member countries.

CEN-SAD holds a big meeting every year. Leaders from all member countries attend this "Conference of Heads of State and Government." They meet in different capital cities. Sometimes, extra meetings are called if a country asks for one.

What is CEN-SAD?

CEN-SAD was started in February 1998. Six countries were the first members. Now, 29 countries belong to this group. A big aim is to make the economies of these countries stronger. They do this by allowing people and goods to move freely. This helps create a large free trade area.

CEN-SAD also works with big international groups. Since 2001, it has a special status at the UN General Assembly. This means it can observe and contribute to discussions at the United Nations. It also partners with UN agencies like UNDP and WHO. These partnerships help with development, health, and other important areas.

Working Together for Progress

CEN-SAD members are also part of other African economic groups. These groups all aim to create a larger African Economic Community. CEN-SAD's idea of a free trade area is a step towards this. However, it can be tricky because other groups like ECOWAS and COMESA have similar goals.

Key Decisions at Summits

Leaders meet at summits to make important decisions. These meetings help guide CEN-SAD's work.

2005 Summit in Burkina Faso

In June 2005, leaders met in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. They decided to create a "high authority for water, agriculture and seeds." This group helps countries improve farming. They focus on managing water and choosing the best seeds. The leaders also planned to study building a railway line. This railway would connect countries like Libya, Chad, and Niger. It would make trade easier and help connect more areas.

2007 Summit in Libya

In June 2007, African leaders met in Libya. They worked to solve problems between Chad and Sudan. They also aimed to support Somalia's government.

2008 Summit in Benin

The 10th CEN-SAD summit was held in Cotonou, Benin, in June 2008. The main topic was "Rural Development and Food Security." This means helping people in the countryside and making sure everyone has enough food.

2013 Summit in Chad

In January 2013, the CEN-SAD meeting took place in N'Djamena, Chad. People discussed how Morocco might take a bigger leadership role in the organization.

CEN-SAD Games

Since 2009, CEN-SAD countries have held special events. These are called the Community of Sahel–Saharan States Games. They include both sports and cultural festivals.

The first Games were in Niamey, Niger, from February 4 to 14, 2009. Thirteen countries took part in sports for young people under 20. These sports included athletics, basketball, judo, football, handball, table tennis, and traditional wrestling. There were also six cultural events. These included singing, traditional dancing, painting, sculpture, and photography. The second Games were planned for February 2011 in N’Djamena, Chad.

Who are the Members?

CEN-SAD has 29 member states. Here is a list of the countries and when they joined. All these countries are also members of the United Nations and the African Union.

Member state Joined Area
(km2)
Population GDP (PPP) ($US) Notes
(all states are also members of the
United Nations and of the African Union)
(inh.) (date) (millions) (per capita)
 Benin 2002 114,763 10,008,749 2013 census 29,918 2,552 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Burkina Faso 1998– 274,200 14,017,262 2006 census 45,339 792 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Cape Verde 2009– 4,033 543,767 2019 est. 4,323 3,651 also member of ECOWAS
 Central African Republic 1999– 622,984 4,666,368 2019 est. 4,262 823 also member of ECCAS and CEMAC
 Chad 1998– 1,284,000 13,670,084 2015 est. 30,000 2,428 also member of ECCAS and CEMAC
 Comoros 2007– 1,861 850,688 2018 est. 2,446 2,799 also member of SADC and COMESA
 Djibouti 2000– 23,200 also member of IGAD and COMESA
 Egypt 2001– 1,010,408 also member of COMESA, candidate to AMU
 Eritrea 1999– 117,600 also member of IGAD and COMESA
 Gambia 2000– 10,689 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 Ghana 2005– 239,567 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 Guinea 2007– 245,857 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 Guinea-Bissau 2004– 36,125 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Côte d'Ivoire 2004– 322,463 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Kenya 2007– 580,367 also member of IGAD, EAC and COMESA
 Liberia 2004– 111,369 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 Libya 1998– 1,759,541 6,871,287 2019 est. also member of AMU and COMESA
 Mali 1998– 1,240,192 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Mauritania 2007– 1,030,000 also member of AMU
 Morocco 2001– 446,550
or 710,850
also member of AMU
 Niger 1998– 1,267,000 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Nigeria 2001– 923,769 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 São Tomé and Príncipe 2007– 1,001 also member of ECCAS
 Senegal 2000– 196,712 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Sierra Leone 2005– 71,740 7,092,113 2015 census 12,177 1,608 also member of ECOWAS and WAMZ
 Somalia 2001– 637,657 also member of IGAD and COMESA
 Sudan 1998– 1,886,068
(2,505,813 before 2011)
41,592,539
30,894,000
2020 est.
2009 est.
177,678 4,232 also member of IGAD and COMESA
 Togo 2002– 56,785 also member of ECOWAS and UEMOA
 Tunisia 2001– 163,610 11,722,038 2019 census 159,707 3,713 also member of AMU and COMESA
Total (29 members) 14,680,111
or 14,944,411
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