Other documents that may interest you :

• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  The War of Narratives: Another Front in the Evolution of the Malian Conflict 26/12/2025

  Summary :

  The article argues that Mali’s crisis is also being fought through information and competing narratives. It begins with the media regulator’s decision...

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  Country : Mali

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
The War of Narratives: Another Front in the Evolution of the Malian Conflict 26/12/2025
Summary :
The article argues that Mali’s crisis is also being fought through information and competing narratives. It begins with the media regulator’s decision to suspend LCI and TF1 (announced on 12 November 2025) and situates it within a broader tightening of media control since 2022, affecting both international and domestic outlets. The author highlights the rise of “patriotic” editorial framing and the growing influence of pro-government content creators (“videomans”) in shaping public opinion. Against the backdrop of attacks on fuel tankers, fuel shortages, and diplomatic warnings, he describes how official messaging clashes with sensational international coverage—especially speculation about Bamako’s possible fall—and with JNIM propaganda circulated on social media platforms. The piece also notes the emergence of counter-narratives (including from influencers on the ground) and concludes that this contested narrative ecosystem can shape perceptions of the crisis as much as events themselves.
Keywords :
Politics, Governance, Conflict, Medias, Information, Disinformation
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Analysis of Narrative Dualism during the Attempted Coup in Benin 30/12/2025

  Summary :

  The article examines how the December 7, 2025 attempted coup in Benin became a narrative struggle between opposing interpretations of the event. The M...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger , Benin , Guinea , Guinea-Bissau

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Analysis of Narrative Dualism during the Attempted Coup in Benin 30/12/2025
Summary :
The article examines how the December 7, 2025 attempted coup in Benin became a narrative struggle between opposing interpretations of the event. The Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) aimed to promote a revolutionary narrative by occupying the national television and denouncing deteriorating security conditions. In response, the Beninese government quickly crafted a counter-narrative, led by the Minister of the Interior, that downplayed the incident as an isolated mutiny and employed crisis communication strategies to reassure the public and stabilize perceptions. The article highlights the role of framing in shaping public understanding and explains that the government’s rapid and controlled communication neutralized the putschists’ messaging. Despite the failure of the attempted coup, the underlying causes of the crisis remain unresolved, and the article argues that future communication should focus on reforms to address grievances and prevent similar challenges to constitutional order.
Keywords :
Governance, Conflict, Crisis, Coup d'État
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Journal article / Governance, Mediation and conflict management, humanitarian aid,

  Chimera or Reality? On 'Jihadist Governance' in the Conflict Zones of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa 12/05/2026

  Summary :

  This article critically examines the concept of "jihadist governance" in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, drawing on case studies from Mali, Burkina ...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Chad , Mali , Mauritania , Niger , Nigeria , Benin , Libya , Sudan , Somalia

  Organizations : IRD
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Journal article / Governance, Mediation and conflict management, humanitarian aid,
Chimera or Reality? On 'Jihadist Governance' in the Conflict Zones of the Sahel and the Horn of Africa 12/05/2026
Summary :
This article critically examines the concept of "jihadist governance" in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, drawing on case studies from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Somalia. The author analyses the capacity of armed groups — JNIM, Islamic State in the Sahel, Boko Haram/ISWAP and Al-Shabaab — to administer territory, maintain order, dispense justice and collect taxes. He demonstrates that such governance remains episodic, fragmented and unsustainable: pre-conflict state standards in rural areas were already so low that any alternative form of order appears relatively effective. Jihadist taxation (zakat, levies, tolls) is inconsistent, often arbitrary and largely non-compliant with Islamic jurisprudence. Popular support stems primarily from state failure rather than genuine ideological allegiance. The author concludes that jihadist groups are unlikely to seize regional capitals, and that their resilience should not be mistaken for a genuine capacity to govern.
Keywords :
Politics, Political party, Power, State, Governance, Justice, Conflict, Education, Social, Threat
Organizations :
IRD
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• Journal article / Sécurité, Insécurité, Djihadisme, Extrémisme,

  Should France End Its Military Cooperation Programs in Africa? 12/05/2026

  Summary :

  The article examines the failures and controversial consequences of French military cooperation programs in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region. ...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Chad , Mali , Mauritania , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Benin , Ivory Coste , Central African Republic , Democratic Republic of Congo , Gabon , Madagascar

  Organizations : IRD
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Journal article / Sécurité, Insécurité, Djihadisme, Extrémisme,
Should France End Its Military Cooperation Programs in Africa? 12/05/2026
Summary :
The article examines the failures and controversial consequences of French military cooperation programs in Africa, particularly in the Sahel region. The author argues that Western military assistance and training programs have failed to stabilize the region or professionalize local armed forces. Instead, they have sometimes strengthened corrupt governments, encouraged military impunity, and contributed to violence against civilians. The failure of Operation Barkhane illustrates the contradictions of a counterterrorism strategy focused mainly on military responses while neglecting the political and institutional roots of instability. The article also highlights the involvement of some Sahelian armies in arms trafficking and predatory economic practices. Furthermore, the author criticizes the lack of democratic oversight and serious evaluation of French military partnerships in Africa. He suggests that beyond security concerns, these cooperations also serve geopolitical influence, intelligence gathering, and the preservation of France’s military presence and strategic interests on the continent.
Keywords :
Politics, Political party, Power, Security, Justice, Conflict, Education, Human security, Cooperation, Threat
Organizations :
IRD
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