The article discusses the critical issue of youth unemployment in West Africa and suggests five key strategies to address it. It emphasizes integrating job creation into public policies through tax incentives and public procurement criteria. Agriculture and livestock farming are identified as essential sectors for massive job generation. Enhancing youth employability requires education reform and stronger partnerships with the private sector. The article also advocates for revising labor laws to create a more flexible and inclusive framework. Lastly, increased investment in employment data collection is needed to guide economic policies effectively.

Politics, Political party, Power, Natural ressources, Justice, Education, Gold, Researh, Knowlege production, EMPLOYMENT

The article entitled “The G5 Sahel is dead, long live the Sahelo-Atlantic G7: securing development to develop security”, written by Abdelhak Bassou and published on February 6, 2025 by the Policy Center for the New South, analyzes the dissolution of the G5 Sahel and proposes the creation of a G7 Sahelo-Atlantic alliance to strengthen security and development in the region. The G5 Sahel, formed in 2014 by Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, aimed to fight terrorism and promote development. However, successive coups and political differences led to the withdrawal of several members, leading to the paralysis of the organization. To remedy this situation, the author proposes forming a Sahelo-Atlantic G7 alliance which would include the initial G5 countries, Morocco and Senegal. This new alliance would aim to combine security efforts with economic development initiatives, leveraging access to the Atlantic Ocean to facilitate trade and strengthen regional cooperation.

Governance, Security, Coopération régionale

The article "The protection of foreign investments in the face of vulnerabilities in the Sahel" by Issiaka Guindo, doctoral student at the Sorbonne Doctoral School of Law, examines the legal and economic challenges facing foreign investments in the Sahel. This region, marked by political instability and insecurity, affects States' commitments in terms of investment protection. Despite these difficulties, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows have not been completely deterred, particularly in the natural resources sector such as gold in Mali and Burkina Faso. The article analyzes existing contractual and conventional clauses, in particular full security protection and compensation clauses for losses, while highlighting the limits of State exemption mechanisms (force majeure, state of necessity). The study concludes that although protection mechanisms exist, their implementation in a context of instability remains mixed.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Gold, Human security, Protection

The report explores local perceptions of security and development cooperation in West Africa, particularly in the Sahel, in the context of French interventions, such as Operation Barkhane. The rise of sovereignism and the contestation of the foreign military presence have accentuated the divide between the expectations of local populations and the actions of Western powers. The impact of the information war, particularly with Russia, and persistent insecurity have reinforced these tensions.

Sovereignty, Security, Cooperation, Françafrique

The article “Sahel: contours and challenges of a multidimensional crisis” by Niagalé Bagayoko, published in Diplomatie (n°107, January-February 2021) by Areion Group, examines the complexity of the crisis in the Sahel. It highlights the interaction between jihadist insurgencies, community conflicts, the collapse of local governance and international military interventions. The article discusses the rivalry between groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda (GSIM) and those linked to the Islamic State (ISGS), as well as the rise of local militias and self-defense groups. It also addresses tensions between local actors and international forces such as Barkhane and MINUSMA. Finally, the author highlights the need to address the root causes of the crisis, notably poor governance and the absence of lasting political solutions.

State, Natural ressources, Security, Jihad, Terrorism, Gold, Human security, Cooperation, Threat, Dialogue