Bouna Ahmedou Sow, a school director in Mauritania, highlights the major challenges facing education systems, including the lack of teacher training and inadequate infrastructure to keep up with population growth. Schools, often located in rented houses, are struggling to cope with the growing demand for students. Teachers have to manage overcrowded classes, especially with struggling students, while working in precarious conditions. Sow stresses the importance of creating a supportive environment for teachers with respected contracts and daily support. He advocates for infrastructure that keeps pace with demographic growth to ensure an effective and inclusive education system.

Education, Development, Infrastructures scolaires, Démographie

The mission report of the Assistance Publique des Hôpitaux de Paris (APHP), carried out from February 26 to March 3, 2023, aims to improve the care pathway for vulnerable patients at the Outpatient Treatment Center (CTA) in Nouakchott and to strengthen the skills of caregivers for monitoring specific populations. The objectives include the promotion of sexual health, screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as the prevention of cervical cancer and mother-to-child transmission of infections. The report highlights low overall health coverage in Mauritania, with only 60% of women giving birth in health facilities and vaccination coverage of around 60%. HIV prevalence is estimated at 0.29%, stable for ten years, except in Chami where an increase in the population has been observed. In gynecology/obstetrics, the National Hospital Center of Nouakchott (CHNN) has 50 beds and records 3,800 deliveries per year, with a cesarean rate of 37%, which is constantly increasing.

Governance, Public Administration, Health, Couverture sanitaire

Amnesty International’s 2023 annual report on Mauritania highlights several human rights concerns. In May, after the ruling party won legislative, regional and local elections, allegations of fraud were raised by some opposition parties. In December, former President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption. The report denounces cases of torture and ill-treatment, including the death in police custody of human rights defender Souvi Ould Jibril Ould Cheine in February, attributed to traumatic asphyxiation by strangulation. Freedom of expression has been restricted, with mobile internet cuts in June following protests, and during national reviews to prevent cheating. The UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances has also highlighted the lack of thorough examination of proposals for a truth and reconciliation mechanism concerning human rights violations between 1989 and 1992.

Governance, Human Rights, Torture

The WATHI article examines the growing threat posed by Islamist extremists to Ghana, Togo, and Benin. In 2023, Togo experienced 14 attacks resulting in 66 deaths, demonstrating the persistent ability of extremist groups to carry out deadly actions. Despite significant regional interventions, current strategies to combat violent extremism in coastal West Africa remain insufficient. The root causes of extremism, such as the systemic exclusion of marginalized ethnic groups, notably the Fulani, are not adequately addressed, exacerbating the situation. Ghana, neighboring Benin and Togo, has implemented measures to prevent such attacks, including increased assistance from international partners. However, the presence and influence of extremist organizations linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State continue to expand in the north of the country, recruiting hundreds of Ghanaians to fight in regional conflicts and beyond. This expansion of extremism in the three West African coastal countries persists despite considerable efforts to prevent the spread of extremist groups from the Sahel into their northern regions.

Jihad, Terrorism, Extremism, Violence

In this op-ed published on March 15, 2023, Jean‑Pierre Olivier de Sardan questions the effectiveness of security strategies in the Sahel. Jihadism is spreading not only in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, but also into northern regions of coastal countries like Benin, Ghana, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire . Where state authority has collapsed, jihadist groups have imposed a “de facto government” based on extortion, propaganda, and terror. He notes that military responses, including Operation Barkhane, have failed to halts their expansion . Instead, he advocates for a comprehensive approach: strengthening public services, restoring a protective state, offering alternatives for jihadist defectors, engaging in negotiations with moderate insurgents, and supporting rural development and humanitarian aid. The core argument stresses the need for people‑centered security rather than a standalone military focus.

Governance, Security, Jihad, Services publics

The article "Environment and Diseases in the Sahel (West Africa). Between Two Worlds" examines the interaction between environmental conditions and disease prevalence in the Sahel region. It highlights that the Sahel, located between the Saharan and Sudanese climates, is a convergence zone for various epidemics. Diseases vary according to the seasons and the lifestyles of the populations: nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers are not affected in the same way. For example, the "lean cow" period for pastoralists, corresponding to the end of the dry season, differs from the "empty granaries" period for farmers. This complex dynamic between environment and public health makes disease management particularly difficult in this region.

Agriculture, Pastoralism, Climate change, Health

The article “Slavery by Descent in the Kayes Region” examines the persistence of hereditary slavery in Mali, particularly among the Soninké and Malinké communities of the Kayes region. Historically, slavery was an economic and social pillar, ensuring the prosperity of local elites. Despite its official abolition in 1905, hierarchical social structures persist, maintaining power relations based on descent. The study highlights that, although Islam encourages emancipation, some local interpretations of sacred texts have been used to legitimize this practice. Religious scholars, or marabouts, play an ambivalent role, sometimes perceived as complacent towards slavery by descent. This situation leads to discrimination and social tensions, requiring concerted action to eradicate these practices and promote equality.

Discrimination, Esclavage

Since 2014, the Tillabéri region in western Niger has been plagued by growing insecurity due to armed groups, crime, and community conflict. Until 2020, these groups primarily targeted local authorities and defense forces, while extorting civilians without resorting to physical violence. However, in 2021, they intensified their direct attacks on civilians, leading to a 52% increase in deaths related to this violence between 2020 and 2021, according to ACLED. Faced with the weak military presence, some communities have formed self-defense groups, such as the one in Banibangou. Although violence decreased in 2022, with 192 deaths recorded compared to 465 in 2021, instability persists. The military coup of July 26, 2023, which overthrew Mohamed Bazoum, could influence the security situation of civilians in the affected areas.

Governance, Conflict, Jihad, Violence, Insécurité, Groupes armés non étatiques