The article explores how in Africa the law is increasingly used as a “pimping” tool for gerontocratic regimes, undermining substantive democracy. It argues that although the post-independence era held promise for law as social regulation, it became captured by privatized state institutions and used to eliminate opposition rather than secure alternation. Cases in Benin, Senegal and Cape Verde are discussed as (relatively) positive exceptions, while in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Chad, candidacies are constrained and civil rights subverted. Law becomes flexible, adapting to the interests of those in power and thereby reinforcing hybrid and gerontocratic systems. The author calls for a reinvention of citizenship, a law in service of life rather than exclusion, and a stronger role for civil society to reposition politics beyond mere elections.

Governance, Democracy, Election, Inclusion, Gerontocracy

The article highlights that the quality of education in West Africa is largely dependent on teachers’ skills and commitment, yet significant gaps remain in both initial and ongoing training tailored to local contexts. It points out that while corporal punishment has been banned in some countries such as Benin, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, this legal change has often not been paired with effective pedagogical tools and disciplinary strategies for teachers. Current training schemes frequently fail to align with classroom realities and student needs. The piece calls for comprehensive reform: modernization of teacher training curricula, stronger practical training, responsiveness to social and pedagogical changes, and an improvement in teachers’ working conditions. It urges policymakers, trainers and education systems to act so that teacher training becomes a real lever for transformative education.

Governance, Education, Réforme

This Action Against Hunger report assesses biomass production in northern Côte d’Ivoire (Bagoué, Bounkani, Folon, Poro, and Tchologo regions) during the 2025 season. Findings show a marked improvement compared to 2024, with production levels equal to or above the 25-year average. Departments such as Ferkessédougou and Minignan nearly reached historical maxima, while M’Bengué and Ouangolodougou remained below average. The report highlights the strain on pastoral resources due to cross-border transhumance and inflows of herders from Burkina Faso and Mali. The authors recommend maintaining monitoring systems for pastoral zones, strengthening awareness among host and transhumant communities, and guiding herders toward areas with higher biomass potential to ensure sustainable management of grazing resources.

Pastoralism, Natural ressources, Justice, Education, Gold, Poverty, Vulnerability, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, water

This paper investigates how the digital divide shapes access to essential services—drinking water, health, and education—in West Africa using Afrobarometer Round 9 data. The authors build a multidimensional digital divide index integrating access to equipment, internet use, and information isolation. Three main findings emerge: (1) formal education is by far the strongest determinant of digital inclusion, ahead of wealth or geography; (2) the digital divide is strongly associated with lower access to basic services, even after accounting for territorial heterogeneity; and (3) rural–urban differences are less significant than expected, suggesting that marginalization transcends geography. The study concludes that without inclusive and educational policies, ongoing digitalization efforts could inadvertently deepen social and territorial inequalities across the region.

Politics, Inequality, Natural ressources, Religious education, Education, Discrimination, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, Information, Equality

This article assesses the strategic planning of education in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting key strengths and weaknesses. The authors used document analysis and a survey of 301 strategic and operational stakeholders active between December 2022 and April 2023. They found that the prioritisation of education (with 92% of actions financed publicly) and the diversity of educational partners are major strengths. However, the participation rate of operational actors remains low (19%), as decision-making is not sufficiently translated into operational action and there is a strong siloing between the strategic and operational levels. This lack of connectivity limits stakeholder engagement and undermines the effective implementation of plans. The study concludes that enhancing operational involvement, dismantling silos, and strengthening trust and communication among actors are key to improving strategic education planning.

Governance, Education

The article examines how leadership exercised by primary-level school principals (DES) in Côte d’Ivoire contributes to improving student achievement. Faced with many children struggling to master expected competencies, the authors analyse principals’ professional practices, linking them to pedagogical, administrative and organisational management. They show that principals assume multiple responsibilities: mobilising teachers, monitoring learning, involving the school community. However, some challenges remain: gaps in principals’ training, heavy administrative burdens, weak institutional support, which limit the actual impact of these actions. The article concludes by recommending strengthening the role of principals through targeted training, improved working conditions and systemic support to make leadership genuinely tied to student success.

Governance, Education

This paper investigates urban households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for flood insurance in Burkina Faso, emphasizing the role of information and trust in insurance demand. Using data from a field survey conducted in September 2022 with 593 respondents, the authors find that 71.3% of individuals are willing to pay for insurance, though most have a WTP lower than the expected loss. Being well-informed about flood risks increases WTP, but the relationship is not linear. Conversely, reliance on family networks and risk aversion reduce WTP, while trust in government and private insurance raises it. The study highlights the need to strengthen communication policies and institutional trust to promote climate-risk insurance as an effective adaptation mechanism in urban areas.

Power, State, Natural ressources, Education, Family, Gold, Medias, Knowlege production, Information, water

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.

Sovereignty, Youth, Numérique, Disinformation

The article argues that digital transformation in West Africa holds enormous potential for social change but also risks worsening inequality if not grounded locally. It states that the digital shift must be built on local priorities: connecting rural areas, tailoring training programs, supporting youth digital entrepreneurship, and mobilising governments, businesses, universities and civil society. With a large share of future labour market entrants coming from sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, the region faces urgent challenges: reliable internet, digital skills and access remain highly unequal, particularly in rural zones. The piece cites examples such as Benin, Senegal and Nigeria to highlight existing initiatives. It stresses the need for inclusive digital governance, appropriate infrastructure and ethical frameworks, so that technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

Governance, Transition, Numérique, Inclusion