APN Sahel is a national association under Burkinabè law, created in January 1994. It was officially recognized under the receipt N ° 94-141 / MATS / SG / DGAT / DLPAJ of May 19, 1994, and obtained the status of NGO of development under N ° 258 / BSONG on August 07, 1997 with the government of Burkina Faso. The APN-Sahel was elevated in 2004 to the rank of "Knight of the Order of Merit of Rural Development" with environmental staple by the highest state authorities.

The NGO is governed by fundamental texts that are the statutes and the internal regulations, and it has a Board of Directors of six members respecting gender equality and elected for a five-year renewable term only one time. It has a permanent executive secretariat which ensures the daily coordination of all programs.

APN-Sahel is one of the first local Sahelian NGOs to be accredited with the executive secretariat of the International Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD). She is an active member and participates in the animation of different networks at national, regional and international level.