The Road to Bamako
Jihadists, Russian Mercenaries and Europe’s Defeat in the Sahel
Ulf LaessingThe story of a forgotten war with global consequences
The Sahel region, from Mauritania in the West to Sudan in the East, is in crisis. Ulf Laessing, a veteran journalist who has lived and worked in the region for years, leverages unprecedented access to diplomats, politicians, jihadists, smugglers and migrants. He travels to goldmines to expose an illegal trade worth billions, meets those who risk everything to escape and those who profit from such desperation, and reveals how European diplomatic and military blunders opened the door for Russian exploitation. Now, with jihadists marching on Mali’s capital, Bamako, and French influence over its former colonies waning, the Sahel is sinking deeper into a tragedy that will have far-reaching consequences. The Road to Bamako is a fast-paced book that gives a rare first-hand account of this political and humanitarian disaster on Europe’s doorstep.
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Journalist Ulf Laessing reveals his deep knowledge of the Sahel in this highly accessible account of the major issues bedevilling the region, from global jihadism to the migration crisis. Drawing on years of first-hand experience and a wide range of contacts, Laessing presents a book that is thoroughly documented, compelling, and populated with personal observations and anecdotes.
'Ronald Bruce St John, author of Qaddafi: Beyond the Myth
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Laessing has written a superb book – one I wish I’d had when I was sent to the region as a young reporter. Most books on the Sahel are academic, dusty French tomes which see the region through a particular and sometimes jaded lens. This highly readable and well researched yarn serves an excellent introduction for new comers and doesn’t hold any punches from those responsible for the grim tidings we hear from the region today.
'Will Brown, Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
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In The Road to Bamako, Ulf Laessing draws on five years spent in Bamako and long familiarity with the African continent to deliver a rare, clear-eyed journey through one of the world’s most misunderstood regions. Steering clear of academic condescension and stale European assumptions, he offers an immersive account of a pivotal geopolitical moment. As France, the United States, Algeria and Russia all stumble in their attempts to shape the countries of the Sahel, Laessing writes from close range, with a grounded, observant restraint. Anyone interested in African affairs should dive into this fluid, vivid and deeply informed book.
'Jalel Harchaoui, Royal United Services Institute
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Combining years of first-hand experience with a deep knowledge of the region, Ulf Laessing offers a timely and engaging account of the political and security dynamics shaping today’s Sahel. Accessible without sacrificing nuance, this book provides valuable insights through interviews with local populations into one of the world’s most strategically important — and often misunderstood — regions.
'Nina Wilén, Director of the Africa Programme, Egmont Institute
Ulf Laessing was until recently Head of the Regional Sahel Programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and previously a foreign correspondent for Reuters in the Middle East and North Africa. He is the author of Understanding Libya Since Gaddafi (2020).