Together for a stronger Sahel-Saharan region

Community of Sahel-Saharan States

Founded on 4 February 1998 in Tripoli, Libya, CEN-SAD was established to strengthen cooperation and integration among Sahel-Saharan States, with a focus on peace and security, development, regional integration and solidarity among Member States.

25 Member States

Peace & Security

Sustainable Development

Regional Cooperation

Human Development

About the organization

CEN-SAD at a glance

A regional intergovernmental organization advancing cooperation across the Sahel-Saharan space.

The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) was founded in Tripoli in 1998 to bring Member States closer through practical regional cooperation. Its mandate centers on strengthening solidarity, supporting stability and peace, encouraging economic and social development, and advancing regional integration.

The Executive Secretariat, headquartered in Tripoli, supports the implementation of the organization’s priorities and the coordination of its institutional activities.

Peace & SecuritySupport stability, dialogue and cooperation among Member States.

Regional IntegrationStrengthen coordination and closer links across the Sahel-Saharan region.

DevelopmentPromote sustainable economic, social and human development.

Our leadership

Executive Secretariat

Leadership of the CEN-SAD Executive Secretariat.

Acting Executive Secretary

Ambassador Abderrahim Kadmiri

Ambassador Abderrahim Kadmiri served as Deputy Executive Secretary of CEN-SAD from 2019 to April 2026 and has served as Acting Executive Secretary since April 2026, overseeing the relaunch of the institution’s activities following the reopening of its headquarters in Tripoli.

His Excellency has held ambassadorial assignments in Saint Lucia and several Caribbean States, as well as Iraq. Ambassador Kadmiri holds a Doctorate in Political Science from the University of Paris.

Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs

Mr. Shebane Abdallah

Mr. Shebane Abdallah has served as Director of Administrative and Financial Affairs of the CEN-SAD Executive Secretariat since 2021, overseeing the institution’s administrative and financial functions.

Institutional structure

Departments

Core departments supporting the mandate and activities of the CEN-SAD Executive Secretariat.

Legal Affairs

Provides legal opinions to the Executive Secretary, the Secretariat and CEN-SAD organs on matters of public and private international law, while supporting the strengthening of the rule of law in Member States.

Economic & Commercial Affairs

Promotes economic and commercial cooperation among Member States and proposes community policies aimed at stimulating the private sector and investment within and between Member States.

Peace & Security

Responsible for political cooperation, peace and security within the Community area.

Education, Health & Social Affairs

Develops and harmonizes policies and programmes in education, health and social affairs across the Community area.

Adviser

Provides advisory expertise to support the Executive Secretary’s decision-making on matters related to CEN-SAD portfolios, including cross-cutting issues involving several departments.

Rural Development & Environment

Promotes rural economic development and agricultural transformation by supporting agricultural measures, strategies, policies and programmes across the Community area.

Sports, Arts & Culture

Promotes sport, arts and culture as catalysts for innovation, skills development, mobility, mutual learning, cross-border cooperation, stakeholder participation and policy reform.

Infrastructure, Transport, Energy & ICT

Supports the development of energy resources, infrastructure, transport and information and communication technologies through the promotion, coordination, implementation and monitoring of relevant programmes and policies, including telecommunications, information and postal services.

Regional community

Member States

The 25 Member States of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States.

Benin

Burkina Faso

Central African Republic

Chad

Comoros

Côte d’Ivoire

Djibouti

Egypt

Eritrea

The Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Libya

Mali

Mauritania

Morocco

Niger

Nigeria

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Somalia

Sudan

Togo

Tunisia

Executive Secretariat

Contact CEN-SAD

Headquarters of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States in Tripoli, Libya.

Open Headquarters in Google Maps ↗

AddressAl Nasr St, Tripoli, Libya

Telephone+218 91 856 2121

Emailsecretariat@sec-censad.org

Websitewww.censad.int