The article "Strengthening Sahelian Counterinsurgency Strategy", authored by Michael Shurkin and published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies on August 8, 2022, examines the surge in militant Islamist violence in the Sahel, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. It highlights the inadequacy of current strategies against local insurgencies employing irregular tactics. The author advocates for a population-centric counterinsurgency approach, involving the restructuring of armed forces into lighter, more mobile, and integrated units, supported by enhanced logistical and aerial capabilities. Building positive relationships with local communities is deemed essential to diminish support for insurgents. The article also recommends complementing military actions with initiatives aimed at improving living conditions, justice, and the rule of law.

Security, Jihad, Violence

Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration, this report highlights the continued marginalization of African women with disabilities in public policy and feminist movements. Despite legal frameworks like the CRPD and the African Disability Protocol, implementation remains weak. Based on consultations with 244 women across 23 countries, the report reveals deep-rooted, intersectional discrimination: extreme poverty, specific forms of gender-based violence, political underrepresentation, economic exclusion, and barriers to healthcare and education. Most policies lack an intersectional lens and disaggregated data, limiting effective action. This participatory report calls for the recognition of disabled women as change-makers and provides concrete recommendations for their full inclusion. It emphasizes the urgency of integrating their voices in decision-making spaces to achieve genuine gender equality.

Health, Violence, Discrimination, Inclusive education, Inclusion, Socio-economic integration

The report “Climate Change, Development and Security in the Central Sahel”, published in June 2021, explores how climate change impacts development and security in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. It highlights the links between climate stress, food insecurity, human mobility, and conflict. Climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities such as poverty, inequality, armed group proliferation, and social tensions. The study argues that current responses, often overly focused on militarised security, fail to address local realities. Instead, it recommends integrated and context-sensitive strategies to enhance resilience. These include supporting sustainable livelihoods, acknowledging mobility as a coping mechanism, and reinforcing local conflict-resolution systems. The report also advocates for more coherent European and international policies that align climate adaptation with peacebuilding and development goals.

Economic Development, Climate change, Security, Conflict, Education, Development, Food security, Human security, Threat, Knowlege production

The article "Can social entrepreneurs make Africa's digital boom more inclusive?" by Helen Lock, published by Devex in July 2022, examines how African social entrepreneurs are working to make the continent's digital boom more inclusive. Despite a digital economy valued at $115 billion and a forecast of $712 billion by 2050, less than 25% of Africa's population has internet access. Initiatives like the German agency GIZ's "Digital Enquirer Kit" aim to bridge this gap by offering free training on misinformation and online safety. These efforts highlight the importance of digital inclusion for Africa's economic and social development.

Numérique, Entrepreneurship, Inclusion

The article titled “Defending the Village and Fighting for the Land: Armed Mobilization of Self-Defense Groups and Agricultural Labor in the Dogon Country, Central Mali” by Ibrahima Poudiougou, published in 2024 in the Revue internationale des études du développement, examines how armed self-defense groups affect rural communities in central Mali. Focusing on the June 8, 2022 attack on Makou village—where 350 jihadists displaced 422 households—the author explores how the rise of militias like Dan Nan Ambassagou has normalized violence and reshaped local sociopolitical dynamics. The article highlights the dual identity of these fighters, who are both peasants and combatants, managing agricultural work alongside armed resistance. It also delves into kinship-based solidarities and local agreements, which structure resistance and power relations in the Dogon region. The study offers insights into the complex intersection of security, rural livelihoods, and community resilience in conflict settings.

Governance, Agriculture, Security, Violence, Groupes armés non étatiques, Selfdefense

The article titled “Paths to Emancipation through Violence: Jihad, Self-Defense, Land and the Memory of Slavery in Central Mali”, written by Ibrahima Poudiougou and published in 2025 in the Cahiers d’études africaines, examines how armed groups from socially subordinate backgrounds use violence as a means of emancipation from historical and political domination in central Mali. The study focuses on both jihadist insurgency and the counterinsurgency led by self-defense groups like Dan Nan Ambassagou. The author analyzes how these actors legitimize violence through various narratives, including jihad, resistance to a “new form of enslavement,” and reciprocal accusations of land dispossession between Dogon and Fulani communities. The article reveals how social relations are being reconfigured within these communities, driven by the contestation of local elites and the reappropriation of memory and territory through armed struggle.

Security, Jihad, REAL ESTATE, Selfdefense

The article "The Emergence of 'Vidéomans' in Mali: Between Popular Expression and Tool of Disinformation" by Bah Traoré, published on March 28, 2025, by WATHI, examines the phenomenon of "vidéomans" in Mali. These influencers use social media to comment on national news through live videos, a trend that emerged between 2015 and 2018 with the rise of platforms like Facebook and YouTube. Initially focused on various topics, vidéomans have gradually shifted towards more politicized discourse, notably criticizing government management and foreign interference, particularly from France. Their growing influence led the Malian government to organize a workshop from March 6 to 8, 2025, bringing together several vidéomans to strengthen its communication and counter disinformation. However, the article highlights that the information disseminated by these vidéomans is not always accurate, posing challenges regarding information reliability.

Governance, Information, Numérique, Disinformation

The article "Reframing the Response of West African Coastal Countries to Violent Extremism" by Daniel Eizenga and Amandine Gnanguênon, published on August 20, 2024, by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, examines the spread of extremist violence from the Sahel to West African coastal countries. It highlights that nations such as Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania are increasingly affected by the activities of Islamist militant groups. The authors recommend a multidimensional response, combining the strengthening of ties with local communities, regional security cooperation, and the development of integrated strategies that consider local, national, and regional priorities to effectively counter this threat.

Governance, Security, Violence

Daniel Eizenga’s article identifies five major zones of violence involving Islamist militant groups in the Sahel. These areas have become epicenters of chronic insecurity, seriously affecting civilians and weakening state institutions. The key zones include the Liptako-Gourma tri-border area (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), Northwestern Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, Niger’s Tillabéri region, and Northern Benin. In each of these locations, jihadist groups exploit state fragility, community conflicts, and local grievances to entrench themselves. The article outlines how these groups have shifted tactics—moving from mobile insurgencies to localized governance and territorial control. Eizenga stresses that sustainable responses must combine security efforts with governance reforms, community dialogue, and inclusive development to effectively counter this growing threat.

Governance, Jihad, Violence, Insécurité