The UK Abraham Accords Group has released its inaugural policy memo outlining a comprehensive strategy to address the mounting security and humanitarian challenges in the Sahel region through enhanced cooperation with Morocco and Israel. The July 17, 2025 document presents a trilateral framework designed to combat terrorism, water insecurity, and growing Russian influence across Mali, Niger, and Mauritania.
Regional Challenges Demand Coordinated Response
The Sahel region, stretching 2,600 miles across Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, faces unprecedented challenges that threaten regional stability and have global implications. The area has become what experts describe as the “epicenter of jihadi terrorism,” with terrorist groups exploiting humanitarian crises and weak governance structures.
According to the policy memo, the Liptako-Gourma region—covering border areas between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—has experienced devastating terrorist attacks. In the first half of 2022 alone, two thousand civilians lost their lives to terrorist violence, while 2.6 million people have been displaced from their homes over the past decade.
The situation has been further complicated by the withdrawal of Western military presence. The United States recently closed its $110 million Air Base 101 in Niger, which had housed 1,000 troops. Meanwhile, Mali and Niger have withdrawn from ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), a bloc established in 1975 to promote regional integration, creating the Alliance for Sahel States (AES) instead.
Water Security: A Critical Vulnerability
Water scarcity emerges as perhaps the most pressing humanitarian challenge across the region. The statistics paint a dire picture: in Mali, one in five people lack access to clean drinking water, affecting 3.7 million individuals. Niger faces even greater challenges, with 13.4 million people—half the population—without reliable water access.
The disparity in water resources is stark. Mauritania possesses 90.84 cubic meters per capita of renewable internal freshwater sources, ranking 171st globally. Niger ranks even lower at 149th place with just 149 cubic meters per capita. This water scarcity not only perpetuates humanitarian suffering but also fuels conflict and instability throughout the region.
Russian Influence and Geopolitical Concerns
The policy memo highlights growing Russian influence as a significant concern for Western interests. Russia has positioned itself as the primary weapons supplier to African nations, with Russian arms accounting for 40% of the continent’s total military supplies. The Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization, has maintained operations in the region despite officially withdrawing from Mali in June 2025.
The Africa Corps, reporting to the Russian Ministry of Defense, has assumed Wagner Group responsibilities, continuing Russian military involvement in the region. This presence extends beyond military support to include exploitation of critical mineral resources, with Russian entities gaining access to uranium and other strategic materials while providing little benefit to local populations.
Proposed Trilateral Framework
The UK Abraham Accords Group’s policy memo outlines several key areas for UK-Morocco-Israel cooperation:
Counter-Terrorism Initiatives
Building on Morocco’s Abraham Accords partnership with Israel, the proposal suggests creating a Western-backed alliance utilizing the combined military capabilities of the UK, Morocco, and Israel. This would target terrorist groups operating across the Sahel, including ISIS affiliates, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda.
The initiative would expand the African Lion military exercises to include UK and Sahel forces, creating a coalition against regional instability. Israeli advisors have already provided specialized training and counterterrorism support in countries like Chad and Morocco, particularly against Iranian proxy movements.
Water Security Solutions
The trilateral partnership would leverage Israeli desalination technology and expertise to address water scarcity. Israeli infrastructure, investment, and innovation in water security, supported by initiatives like the Abraham Accords Development Fund, could significantly benefit water-scarce nations in the region.
Morocco’s Western Sahara region shares borders with Mauritania, creating opportunities for collaborative water infrastructure projects. The proposal suggests constructing water facilities next to existing infrastructure like boreholes and wells along the Mali-Niger border.
Climate Resilience
The Sahel region faces severe climate challenges, with temperatures expected to rise by at least 2 degrees Celsius between now and 2040—1.5 times faster than the global average. The trilateral partnership would work collaboratively to address climate change impacts, including extreme weather events such as droughts and flash flooding.
Intelligence Sharing
The proposal emphasizes creating robust intelligence-sharing mechanisms to counteract jihadi groups. This would involve establishing counter-terrorism departments with input from UK, Moroccan, and Israeli security expertise.
Diplomatic Considerations
The policy memo acknowledges that Mali, Mauritania, and Niger currently lack diplomatic relations with Israel, unlike Morocco, which signed the Abraham Accords in 2020. However, it argues that establishing ties with Israel, coupled with more active British and Moroccan leadership, would improve regional stability and humanitarian conditions.
The document suggests that normalizing relations with Israel would provide access to Mashav, Israel’s international development agency, which has demonstrated success in promoting water and food security issues globally.
Addressing Russian Influence
A key component of the proposed strategy involves countering Russian opportunism in the region. The memo argues that Russia’s presence has intensified conflict dynamics and undermined local governance without addressing root causes of instability.
The trilateral partnership would offer an alternative to Russian mercenary groups by providing legitimate security partnerships. This includes training local police and security forces through Israeli and Moroccan expertise, potentially reducing reliance on Russian military support.
Implementation Challenges
The policy memo acknowledges several implementation challenges, including the need for careful diplomatic engagement with Sahel nations that currently lack formal relations with Israel. The success of such an initiative would depend on demonstrating tangible benefits to local populations, particularly in addressing water security and economic development.
The document also recognizes the importance of working within existing international frameworks while providing innovative solutions to longstanding regional challenges.
Strategic Implications
The proposed trilateral initiative represents a significant shift in regional diplomacy, building on the Abraham Accords framework to address African security challenges. By combining UK diplomatic influence, Moroccan regional knowledge, and Israeli technological expertise, the partnership aims to provide comprehensive solutions to complex regional problems.
The initiative also reflects broader geopolitical competition in Africa, as Western nations seek to counter growing Russian and Chinese influence through practical cooperation and development assistance.
Moving Forward
The UK Abraham Accords Group’s policy memo represents the first formal proposal for leveraging the Abraham Accords framework to address African security challenges. As the UK government considers its response to the recommendations, the success of such an initiative will likely depend on securing buy-in from Sahel nations and demonstrating clear benefits over existing security arrangements.
The document concludes by emphasizing that addressing terrorism, water scarcity, and foreign interference requires coordinated international action, with the proposed trilateral partnership offering a practical framework for enhanced regional cooperation.
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