Introduction

The community of the Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) is a sub-regional African organization which comprises 23 member states. The Treaty of the CEN-SAD was signed in Tripoli, Libya on April 4, 1998 by the leaders of Libya, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Sudan. In Chad summit in 1999, Djibouti, Republic of Central Africa, Gambia, Eritrea, Somalia and Senegal joined the CEN-SAD. In Khartoum summit in 2000, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Nigeria joined the CEN-SAD community. In Sirte summit, Libya in 2002, Togo and Benin joined the community.

Why the CEN-SAD?
There are many reasons standing behind the establishing of the CEN-SAD which can be summed up as follows:

- Close links among the member states and the similar political, social and economic systems.

- The necessity of confronting underdevelopment issues on all social, economic, cultural and political levels.

- The belief that there is no place in the whole world for tiny entities.

The CEN-SAD principles

1- No member state shall use force or threaten to use it.
2- No member states shall intervene in the internal affairs of the other member states.
3- No member state shall present any aid to illegal or illegitimate members in the other member states.
4- The member states shall coordinate their foreign policies.
5- The member states shall be committed to settling conflicts and problems peacefully.

CEN-SAD Goals

As stipulated in the First Article of the Treaty, the CEN-SAD has an economic nature basically which targets at easing all obstacles impeding the unity of the member states. This is by facilitating the transfer of persons, goods, capital, freedom of work and residence and boosting foreign trade by adopting investment policies and increasing transport and telecommunications means plus coordinating educational systems.

The political and security goals include realizing cooperation among the member states to maintain peace and security and confront the phenomena of illegal migration, systematic crime, drugs trafficking and weapons' smuggling.

CEN-SAD institutions

A- Conference of Heads of States
The Conference of Heads of States comprises leaders and heads of states of the CEN-SAD community and it convenes once a year where the country hosting the conference shall chair it.

B- Executive Council
It comprises secretaries and ministers in charge of the sectors of economy, finance, planning, foreign relations, cooperation and interior affairs in the member states. The council is entitled to preparing programs and integrated plans to be presented to the Conference of Heads of States. The meetings of the council take place every six months.

C- General Secretariat:
Located in Tripoli, the General Secretariat comprises legal affairs and research department, financial and administrative department, merging and integration department, secretary general bureau.

D- Development Bank
Located in Tripoli, the Development Bank is a 99-year joint-stock company with a capital of 100 million Euros.

E- Cultural, Social and Economic Council
The Cultural, Social and Economic Council assists the CEN-SAD member states in preparing development programs in the economic, social and cultural domains. Its headquarters shall be determined by the Conference of Heads of States.

Egypt's membership in the CEN-SAD

Egypt participated in the activities of the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) in 1998 as an observer and it expressed desire to join the CEN-SAD as a full member in Khartoum Summit in 2001. Therefore, Egypt has taken all the constitutional measures necessary for joining the CEN-SAD. The move aims at realizing progress in the political, economic and social domains in Africa. It is worthwhile to mention that the CEN-SAD was regarded as an observer in the UN General Assembly in 2001.

The importance of Sahel and Sahara Summit due in Tripoli, Libya on June 1, 2006, emanates from the fact that it is the first time for Egypt to participate in the summit as a full member in the aftermath of Egypt's ratification of the CEN-SAD agreement in January 2006.

• Community of Sahel-Saharan States