Důvody Nigeru k účasti na intervenci v Mali: heterarchie v oblasti Sahelu/Sahary a regionální bezpečnost Prečítať

REASONS OF NIGER TO PARTICIPATE ON INTERVENTION IN MALI: HETERARCHY IN SAHEL/SAHARA AND REGIONAL SECURITYSECURITY

Martin Schmiedl

***

Politické vedy, Volume 22, Number 3/2019, pages 164-191

DOI: http://doi.org/10.24040/politickevedy.2019.22.3.164-191 

Recommended form for quotation of the article / Odporúčaná forma citácie článku:

SCHMIEDL, M. 2019. Důvody Nigeru k účasti na intervenci v Mali: heterarchie v oblasti Sahelu/Sahary a regionální bezpečnost. In Politické vedy. [online]. Vol. 22, No. 3, 2019. ISSN 1335–2741, pp.164-191. Available at: http://doi.org/10.24040/politickevedy.2019.22.3.164-191 

ABSTRACT

Current situation in Sahel is today one of the most important topics in study of Africa. Sahel or Sahara poses interesting area to study sub-state actors. As this area is hardly to controle it could poses the unpredictable factor both in internal or international politics. Therefore, it is also important for the study of reasons behind interventions in the area. This article deals with an analysis of reasons which led to the Nigerien participation in the intervention in the internal conflict in Mali. The main aim of the paper is to indicate how specific actors and permeable borders caused a safety threat to Niger during the conflict in Mali. The author discusses the roles of the Tuaregs and the Sahel/Sahara in the Niger’s decision to support and actively participate in the Malian conflict. Using the concept of heterarchy it is presented how local actors perform significant roles in the Sahara’s and Sahelian area. Viewed this way, the Sahara is not an obstacle but it connects the people, social groups and states. This space together with different groups that operate there, poses a security threat considering the fact that it is an armed group operation area, which can lead to a conflict contagion.

Key words: Africa, intervention, Niger, Mali, heterarchy, substate actors