The Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD) was established on 4 February 1998, following the Conference of Leaders and Heads of States held in Tripoli, Libya. CEN-SAD became a regional economic community during the thirty-sixth ordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, held in Lomé, Togo, from 4 to 12 July 2000. CEN-SAD gained the observer status at the General Assembly under resolution 56/92, and thereafter, initiated cooperation agreements with numerous regional and international organizations with the purpose of consolidating collective work in the political, cultural, economic and social fields. Since the extraordinary session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government held in N'Djamena, Chad in February 2013 whose main purpose was to endorse the restructuring and the revival of the Community, CEN-SAD approved a new Treaty prepared from the revision of the first Treaty that established the Community.

Dr. Kemal Yildirim is the author of a number of books and he is a Film director and Producer. Currently he works on Modern and Ancient World cultures.