This report presents the outcomes of a regional forum held in Dakar in November 2020, aimed at analyzing responses to violent extremism in the Sahel. It highlights the root causes of insecurity: poor governance, lack of basic services, social exclusion, and state-perpetrated violence. Four panels addressed the rule of law, institutional responses, human rights abuses, and peacebuilding. Recommendations emphasize the need for a holistic approach combining social justice, human security, and the active participation of women and youth. The report calls for institutional reform, acknowledgment of societal pluralism, and deeper community involvement in counter-radicalization efforts.

Governance, Security, Extremism, Human security, Violence, Radicalisation, Rule of law

The Afrikajom Center colloquium, held in Dakar from March 8–10, 2023, gathered experts, researchers, and political actors to reflect on the multifaceted crisis facing democracy in West Africa. Discussions highlighted growing authoritarianism (e.g., third terms, state capture, rollback of freedoms), weak institutions, corruption, and the exclusion of youth and women. Participants called for a democratic renewal rooted in African contexts: checks on presidential power, independent judiciary, civic participation, inclusive governance, constitutional reform, and strengthened accountability. The event emphasized the need to rethink governance amid security instability, military transitions, and institutional inefficiency. It advocated for rebuilding a generational social contract and supporting the rise of a more participatory, context-responsive African democracy fit for 21st-century challenges.

Governance, Democracy, Transition, Rule of law

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

Since December 2021, Northern Benin has experienced escalating violence linked to violent extremist groups (VEOs), notably Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). Initially confined to national parks, the violence has spread to populated areas. The report emphasizes that these threats primarily originate from neighboring countries—Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, and Nigeria—rather than internal Beninese tensions. VEOs utilize Benin as a strategic buffer zone to evade regional military pressure and expand their influence. The report recommends enhanced regional coordination and cross-border programs to effectively address this threat.

Boundary, Security, Extremism, Violence, Groupes armés

The policy paper "Social Norms and Girls' Education" by the United Nations Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI) examines the impact of social norms on girls' education in eight sub-Saharan African countries. The study identifies four major social norms hindering girls' education: child marriage, the low perceived value of girls' education, gender-based violence in schools, and domestic labor. These norms, reinforced by economic and sociocultural factors, limit girls' access to, participation in, and success at school. The report recommends transformative approaches, such as integrating gender equality into educational policies, community mobilization, and involving local leaders to change harmful social norms. It emphasizes the importance of gender-sensitive education to promote equality and empower girls.

Culture, Governance, Gender, Education, Inclusion, Equality

This article analyzes the transformation of migration regimes in Central Sahel, especially in Niger, a country historically sidelined in migration studies. It details the rise of "transit" as a dominant migration regime from the 2000s, driven by international governance and EU externalization policies. Institutionalized through law (notably the 2015-36 anti-smuggling law), migration in Niger became increasingly criminalized and controlled. However, recent dynamics—including Sahelian crises (armed conflict, forced displacements), the 2023 repeal of migration laws, the growth of intra-African mobility recognized in Niger’s 2020 National Migration Policy, and the expansion of humanitarian infrastructure—challenge this framework. The Sahara now functions as a “trap space” for migrants, marked by constrained mobility, violence, and legal uncertainty. The article ultimately calls for a reconceptualization of transit not as passage or blockage, but as precarious, multi-directional movement shaped by both national policy shifts and regional instability.

Governance, Migration, Boundary

This study aims to understand the vulnerability of livestock farming in the urban commune of Filingué, Niger, to environmental changes. A total of 240 household heads were surveyed across eight selected villages. Findings reveal that pastoralists perceive climate change through increased temperatures (24% of respondents), prolonged droughts (58%), and more frequent violent winds (18%). These factors negatively impact pastoral activities, making livestock farming highly vulnerable. Adaptation strategies include transhumance (25%), purchasing livestock feed (22%), destocking animals (15%), and forage storage (15%). During critical periods, 23% of pastoralists use a mixture of bran and millet glumes or cardboard to feed their livestock. These indigenous strategies require support to enhance their effectiveness.

Pastoralism, Climate change, Vulnerability

In contexts of insecurity, qualitative research requires constant "adaptations," encapsulated by the phrase "the field dictates." This article explores ethnographic approaches that diverge from traditional methods, drawing on collaborative research conducted in Niger's Liptako-Gourma region—a transborder area between Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and the epicenter of insecurity since 2015. Inspired by Michel de Certeau's concept of "tactics," the author employs "adaptation" to analyze practices in qualitative research under insecure conditions. Ethnographic constraints are viewed not as insurmountable obstacles but as opportunities to develop new methods while maintaining scientific rigor. These adaptations involve variations in usage and room for maneuver, influenced by the specific relationships between the researcher and the subject of study. The analysis of "ways of doing" encompasses both practical and ethical dimensions, as conducting research in insecure contexts leads to sensitive responses laden with emotions, discomfort, and empathy, which in turn influence knowledge production.

Knowlege production, Insécurité, Ethnography, Qualitative research

Rebecca Mignot-Mahdavi’s report explores France’s military strategy against jihadist groups, particularly in the Sahel, revealing a lack of transparent legal justification. Unlike the U.S., which has openly articulated legal frameworks for its war on terror, France maintains silence, although its strategic documents and actions imply an extensive interpretation of international law. The author argues that France mirrors U.S. legal narratives by stretching the boundaries of jus ad bellum and jus in bello to legitimize ongoing military operations. Drawing on French parliamentary records and strategic reports, the paper highlights how France frames its fight as a generalized and indefinite war against jihadist groups. This implicit legal approach allows France to operate across borders and time without explicit legal constraint. Mignot-Mahdavi warns that such legal ambiguity normalizes endless conflict and undermines accountability, challenging the international rule of law.

Governance, Security, Terrorism, Counter terrorism, Crise humanitaire