In the Sahel, domestic and foreign military forces have been unable to eradicate, or even contain, terrorism. New negotiations with the jihadists now appear inevitable. For several years there have been attempts at negotiating, sometimes supported by international mediators; at a local level and on specific issues, these talks have produced some positive results. However, in some respects, the situation has worsened. Negotiating peace more broadly is a path strewn with pitfalls, if not a pipe dream.