• had relaunched the International Festival of Saharan Cultures (FICSA) in Amdjarass after a seven-year hiatus.
• Niger participates as guest of honor, while organizers position the event as a tool for regional cohesion amid escalating Sahel insecurity.
• The Sahel faces persistent attacks by armed groups, with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger ranking among the world’s most terrorism-affected countries in 2025.

The International Festival of Saharan Cultures in Amdjarass (FICSA) resumed in northeastern Chad seven years after its last edition, as organizers seek to revive the cultural prominence of the Sahara despite persistent instability across the Sahel.

The sixth edition runs until Feb. 13 in the city of Amdjarass and showcases the traditions of Saharan communities, with Niger participating as guest of honor. Authorities revived the event after years of suspension caused by logistical and security constraints.

Niger’s Minister of Handicrafts and Tourism, Aghaichata Guichene Atta, said at the opening ceremony on Feb. 7 that culture creates dialogue in a world marked by tensions and crises. She said culture enables mutual understanding, respect and collective construction.

A region of cultural wealth

The Ennedi Plateau stands among the region’s flagship attractions. UNESCO listed the sandstone massif as a World Heritage Site in 2016. The formation stretches over more than 60,000 square kilometers and features canyons, natural arches and rock pillars shaped by erosion.

However, the festival’s central event remains the eight-kilometer camel race held under the sun of Amdjarass. Nearly 400 camel riders launched the race on the second day, placing breeders and their animals at the center of the spectacle.

The Ennedi Plateau

Gathering amid geopolitical tensions

Organizers are staging the cultural event as northeastern Chad and the broader Sahel face political instability. Armed groups affiliated with al Qaeda and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) have intensified attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger since 2020, causing thousands of deaths and displacing millions.

The 2025 Global Terrorism Index published by the Institute for Economics & Peace ranks those three countries among the 10 most terrorism-affected nations worldwide. The countries have also experienced military coups, which have triggered significant diplomatic crises in the region.

A vehicle for peace and hope

Promoters say the festival unites Saharan peoples around a shared cultural foundation. Abdallah Moubarak Almhiri, director general of the United Arab Emirates Camel Racing Federation and co-organizer of the race, said the camel represents a bond between peoples and that Arab communities must preserve this heritage.

Pingdwendé Gilbert Ouédraogo, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, also addressed the event. He said the festival sends a strong message in a Sahel confronted with major security, social and climate challenges. He said culture provides a response and serves as a lever for peace, social cohesion and sustainable development.

This article was initially published in French by Ubrick F. Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum