The Council of the European Union has appointed Danish diplomat Birgitte Nygaard Markussen as the new European Union Special Representative (EUSR) for the Sahel region, effective 1 September 2026, with an initial mandate until 31 August 2027. She succeeds João Cravinho, who held the post since November 2024. Markussen will support the High Representative in implementing the EU's renewed approach to the Sahel, adopted in 2025, and will lead political dialogue with partners in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and the broader region. Her role includes promoting peace, security, stability, and sustainable development, as well as coordinating EU political, security, and development engagement. She will work with governments, regional organisations, the UN, the African Union, and other international partners on conflict prevention, resolution, and regional cooperation. Markussen currently serves as Denmark's Special Envoy to the Sahel and Great Lakes and previously held senior EEAS positions, including Head of the EU Delegation to the African Union and EU Ambassador to UNECA. She also served as Denmark's Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and the Central African Republic. The appointment underscores the EU's continued focus on the Sahel's complex security, humanitarian, and governance challenges. The EUSR is one of eleven such representatives supporting High Representative Kaja Kallas.
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