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...

  Read more

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

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
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
Follow
• 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...

  Read more

  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
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
Follow
• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  One Year Later: The Sahel States Alliance Between Promises of Integration and Opportunism 27/02/2025

  Summary :

  The article titled "One Year Later: The Sahel States Alliance Between Promises of Integration and Opportunism" examines the formation and evolution of...

  Read more

  Country : Burkina Faso , Chad , Mali , Mauritania , Niger

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
One Year Later: The Sahel States Alliance Between Promises of Integration and Opportunism 27/02/2025
Summary :
The article titled "One Year Later: The Sahel States Alliance Between Promises of Integration and Opportunism" examines the formation and evolution of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), established in September 2023 by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. Initially designed as a mutual defense pact in response to ECOWAS's military intervention threats following the July 2023 coup in Niger, the AES quickly expanded its ambitions. By July 2024, the three countries announced the creation of a political and economic confederation, symbolizing their resistance to external, particularly Western, influences. This initiative raises questions about its viability and geopolitical implications, especially since similar regional cooperation efforts, such as the Liptako-Gourma Integrated Development Authority (ALG) in 1970 and the G5 Sahel in 2014, faced challenges related to funding and political rivalries. The article also highlights internal tensions and potential opportunistic motivations behind this alliance, questioning its solidity and future prospects.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance
Organizations :
WATHI
Follow
• Vidéo / Governance, Security and human rights,

  Artificial Intelligence and Digital Sovereignty in West Africa: Opportunities and Risks 29/07/2025

  Keywords :

  Sovereignty, Governance, Security, Numérique, Intelligence artificielle

  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Mauritania , Niger , Senegal

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow