Sahel: land of no return?
Sahel: land of no return?
Years of disastrous drought in the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region bordering the southern Sahara, from Mauritania to the Sudan, have left destitute many of its nomad peoples. The fragile balance between man and his environment which enabled these nomadic herdsmen to subsist appears to have been destroyed, while economic and social changes introduced during the past few decades have created a situation that may be irreversible. This issue of the UNESCO Courier examines the tragic plight and uncertain future of the peoples of the Sahel in the aftermath of drought and famine.