This report provides a critical assessment of the state of democracy, rule of law, human rights, and governance in West Africa. It highlights three interlinked crises: security, institutional, and health-related. Despite the presence of political pluralism, the region is witnessing growing authoritarianism, the persistence of third-term presidencies, and the erosion of institutions. Dysfunctional regulatory mechanisms are fueling political unrest, violations of fundamental rights, and contested elections. Based on country-level analyses, the report recommends strengthening the role of regional organizations, civil society, and African democratic norms. The aim is to alert decision-makers and social actors to the urgent need to rebuild a substantive and inclusive democracy in the face of current threats.

Governance, Democracy, Human Rights

In this interview, Dr. Oumoul Khairy Coulibaly Tandiang, a researcher at the École Supérieure d’Économie Appliquée (ESEA), emphasizes that Senegal's priority is to address social, economic, and territorial inequalities. She highlights the urgent need for reforms, particularly revising the Family Code to eliminate discriminatory articles against women, such as those concerning paternity recognition and child marriage. She also stresses the importance of improving women's access to land, noting their significant role in agricultural production. Furthermore, she discusses migration issues, advocating for approaches grounded in African realities rather than Western perceptions. Finally, she calls for better distribution of public services, reduction in the cost of living, and improved road safety to ensure collective well-being.

Migration, Inequality, Women, REAL ESTATE, Réforme, Services publics

This article highlights deficiencies in Senegal's budgetary oversight, as revealed by an audit from the Court of Accounts covering 2019–2023. The audit uncovered a 5.6 percentage point upward revision in the average budget deficit and an increase in public debt from 74.4% to 99.7% of GDP. These findings, corroborated by the IMF, underscore the urgency of strengthening public financial oversight institutions. The article advocates for greater independence of control bodies, systematic publication of their reports, and a culture of accountability. It emphasizes the crucial role of these institutions in ensuring budgetary transparency, investor confidence, and effective implementation of public policies.

Institution, Contrôle financier, Public debt, Transparency, Accountability

This article from Global Africa Sciences analyzes the legal challenges of Africa’s digital economy. It highlights the transformative impact of digital technologies and emphasizes the need for coherent legal and regulatory frameworks. Key challenges include data governance, cybersecurity, payment system interoperability, and user rights protection. Despite frameworks like the Malabo Convention and African Union digital strategies, implementation remains slow due to fragmented jurisdictions and limited enforcement capacity. The article advocates for a “third way” of regulation that combines legal rigor (hard power) with flexible experimentation (soft power), including the use of regulatory sandboxes. This hybrid approach aims to develop a sustainable, inclusive, and sovereign African digital economy aligned with local needs and global standards.

Governance, Economic Development, Numérique, Cybersecurity

The article examines strategies adopted by Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal to ensure the availability of primary school teachers. In Burkina Faso, regionalized recruitment since 2003 aims for equitable distribution of teachers, though adjustments have been made due to social and union pressures. In Côte d'Ivoire, the Centres d'Animation et de Formation Pédagogique (CAFOP) train assistant teachers over three years, with a recruitment target of 6,600 teachers annually as per the 2016-2025 sector plan. In Senegal, the profession's appeal is based on accessibility (59%), job security (19%), promotion opportunities (14%), and length of school vacations (8%). These countries employ diverse approaches to address challenges related to the availability and retention of primary school teachers.

Education, Public Administration, Recruitment, Training

In this interview, Dr. Sarr emphasizes that the main political priority for Senegal's next president should be to re-establish dialogue and restore citizens' trust in institutions. He highlights the importance of continuous dialogue between the government and the opposition, even outside electoral periods, to strengthen democracy and ensure national stability. Dr. Sarr also underscores the need to heed the aspirations of the youth, who constitute approximately 65 to 70% of Senegal's population, and to involve them more actively in nation-building. He addresses critical challenges such as youth unemployment, reforming the education system, combating inflation, managing clandestine immigration, and improving the healthcare system. Finally, he calls for a reassessment of Senegal's hyper-presidential political system to achieve a better balance of power and greater autonomy for judicial and legislative institutions.

Youth, Election, Dialogue, Institution, Hyperprésidentialisme

In her interview, Amayel Diop, a lecturer and researcher at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, discusses the challenges of women's participation in Senegalese politics. She highlights the difficulty women face in balancing family life and political engagement, particularly due to political meetings often being scheduled at times incompatible with their domestic responsibilities. Ms. Diop critiques the 2010 parity law, believing it has not achieved its goals due to a lack of enforcement mechanisms. She urges women to move beyond secondary roles and take on leadership positions. Emphasizing the importance of intellectual and financial empowerment, she advocates for greater solidarity among women to overcome persistent sociocultural barriers.

Inequality, Gender, Women, Political participation

This article features an interview with Ndioro Ndiaye, former Senegalese minister, who emphasizes that gender parity does not equate to true equality. She highlights the historical role of pioneering Senegalese women such as Caroline Faye Diop and Maïmouna Kane in advancing women's emancipation. Ndiaye points out that while parity laws have been adopted in Senegal, their enforcement—particularly in appointive positions—remains inadequate. She calls for a reform of legislative frameworks to ensure effective equality and urges women to actively prepare for upcoming local elections. The article underscores that symbolic parity must be accompanied by real opportunities and power-sharing mechanisms to achieve lasting gender equity in public and political life.

Women, Parity, Equality, Empowerment

The report titled "Security Sector Reform and Governance in Senegal," written by Colonel Babacar Diouf and published by the African Security Sector Network (ASSN) on January 22, 2024, examines the historical evolution and current state of Security Sector Governance (SSG) in Senegal. It analyzes key components of the sector, including the Army, Gendarmerie, Police, Special Forces, Intelligence Services, and the Penitentiary Sector. The article highlights major reforms undertaken since independence to strengthen the capacities of the armed forces and underscores contemporary challenges the country faces in terms of security.

Governance, Security, Réforme