Other documents that may interest you :

• Podcast / Governance,

  Strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth, fostering critical thinking, and negotiating with “Big Tech 03/11/2025

  Summary :

  In his WATHI column, Harouna Drabo warns about the growing threat of disinformation and foreign influence operations in West Africa, especially amid o...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Mali , Niger , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
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Podcast / Governance,
Strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth, fostering critical thinking, and negotiating with “Big Tech 03/11/2025
Summary :
In his WATHI column, Harouna Drabo warns about the growing threat of disinformation and foreign influence operations in West Africa, especially amid ongoing political instability and repeated coups. The region’s young, hyperconnected population has become a prime target for online manipulation campaigns. Drabo argues for strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth through education in critical thinking, source verification, and media literacy. He advocates a systemic, multi-stakeholder response involving the media, civil society, public institutions, and digital platforms. Regional organizations such as ECOWAS and the African Union should take the lead in building African digital sovereignty and negotiating with Big Tech to ensure fair content regulation and information security across the continent.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Youth, Numérique, Disinformation
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  AES – ECOWAS: What Prospects for Successful Political and Security Integration in the Region? 09/05/2025

  Summary :

  In this publication by the Gorée Institute (March 17, 2025), author Mouhamadou Naby Baldé examines the prospects for successful political and security...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger

  Organizations : Gorée Institute
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
AES – ECOWAS: What Prospects for Successful Political and Security Integration in the Region? 09/05/2025
Summary :
In this publication by the Gorée Institute (March 17, 2025), author Mouhamadou Naby Baldé examines the prospects for successful political and security integration following the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS and their regrouping under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The article analyzes the motivations behind the withdrawal—particularly the perceived hostility of ECOWAS towards military regimes—and highlights the community’s internal weaknesses, including slow decision-making, lack of shared vision, and leadership concentration. However, the AES remains a fragile bloc, facing diplomatic isolation and security threats. The author advocates for a reformed ECOWAS that could become a space for genuine regional convergence and shared sovereignty, while leaving open the door for a potential return of AES countries under improved conditions.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance, Security, Coopération régionale
Organizations :
Gorée Institute
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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,

  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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