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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Building Substantive Democracy in Africa in a World Seeking Direction 01/07/2025

  Summary :

  This podcast by WATHI, released on June 29, 2025, reflects on the Second African Democracy Assembly held in Dakar by the Innovation Foundation for Dem...

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  Country : Mali , Senegal , Benin

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Building Substantive Democracy in Africa in a World Seeking Direction 01/07/2025
Summary :
This podcast by WATHI, released on June 29, 2025, reflects on the Second African Democracy Assembly held in Dakar by the Innovation Foundation for Democracy, chaired by Achille Mbembé. The speaker advocates for a substantive democracy rooted in civic engagement, inclusive dialogue, social justice, and national cohesion—beyond mere elections. Using Senegal’s recent political dialogue as a case study, the episode emphasizes the democratic value of public participation in institutional reform. Drawing from Afrobarometer and V-Dem data, the podcast warns of growing authoritarianism globally and in Africa. It calls for the strategic, sovereign use of external aid, the empowerment of youth and civil society, and the formation of pragmatic alliances to build resilient democratic systems anchored in African realities.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance, Democracy, Election, Civil Society
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Moral bankruptcy, unrealism and the temptation of “suicide with dignity” are putting the African continent at risk 02/12/2025

  Summary :

  Dr. Olakounlé Gilles Yabi’s article warns of a deep moral and institutional decline threatening West Africa and the wider African continent. Since 202...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Benin , Ivory Coste , Ghana , Liberia , Cape Verde

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Moral bankruptcy, unrealism and the temptation of “suicide with dignity” are putting the African continent at risk 02/12/2025
Summary :
Dr. Olakounlé Gilles Yabi’s article warns of a deep moral and institutional decline threatening West Africa and the wider African continent. Since 2020, constitutional manipulation, third-term bids and military coups have multiplied, revealing the normalization of political cynicism. Examples include Alpha Condé in Guinea, Alassane Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire, and, more recently, Mamadi Doumbouya’s candidacy despite previous pledges. Across countries such as Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Benin, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, electoral manipulation, repression, forced disappearances and media intimidation have become routine strategies to entrench power. In the Sahel, military regimes embrace what the author describes as “sovereign suicide,” sacrificing governance, social cohesion and basic services under the banner of sovereignty. Populations face escalating violence, economic collapse, displacement and school closures. Meanwhile, global powers continue extracting mineral resources, indifferent to local chaos. Yabi urges African leaders and civil societies to confront the continent’s extreme vulnerabilities before an irreversible loss of control occurs.
Keywords :
Politics, Sovereignty, Governance, Crisis, Coup d'État
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Is Foreign Policy Still an Elite Affair in the Sahel? 05/05/2025

  Summary :

  Angeline Savadogo's article explores the shifting nature of foreign policy in the Sahel, once confined to diplomatic elites but now influenced by acti...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Is Foreign Policy Still an Elite Affair in the Sahel? 05/05/2025
Summary :
Angeline Savadogo's article explores the shifting nature of foreign policy in the Sahel, once confined to diplomatic elites but now influenced by active youth participation. Young people, educated or not, increasingly engage with geopolitics—through protests, demands for sovereignty, and symbolic actions—reflecting a politicized but often under-informed citizenry. The article highlights the institutional void: youth centers are dysfunctional, formal diplomacy remains distant, and international norms like the Vienna Convention are little known. Social media becomes the main outlet for expression. Savadogo calls for inclusive strategic thinking involving youth, scholars, and institutions. She advocates for integrating international relations into educational systems and fostering participatory diplomacy. In the Sahel’s shifting geopolitical landscape, youth are not passive observers—they are emerging actors. Without structured engagement, they risk becoming destabilizing forces instead of constructive agents of change.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance, Youth, Democracy
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: When States Flee the Justice They Created 10/06/2025

  Summary :

  On March 7, 2025, Tunisia withdrew its declaration under Article 34(6) of the African Charter’s Protocol, removing direct access for citizens and NGOs...

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  Country : Benin , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights: When States Flee the Justice They Created 10/06/2025
Summary :
On March 7, 2025, Tunisia withdrew its declaration under Article 34(6) of the African Charter’s Protocol, removing direct access for citizens and NGOs to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR), unless through the African Commission or another State party. This decision follows similar withdrawals by Rwanda (2016), Tanzania (2019), Benin and Côte d’Ivoire (2020), significantly weakening individual access mechanisms. Now, only seven African countries maintain this direct access. The authors highlight a trend of sovereignist backtracking, where states prioritize political control over continental justice, potentially to evade accountability. They warn this pattern undermines Africa’s human rights protection system and calls for a critical debate on balancing national sovereignty with supranational judicial oversight.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance, Justice, Human Rights
Organizations :
WATHI
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