The article examines the importance of motorcycles in conflicts in the Sahel, where they serve as a crucial means of transport for local populations as well as armed groups. The report highlights the role of motorcycles in the rapid mobility of jihadist groups such as JNIM and the Islamic State in the Sahel, facilitating attacks and withdrawals. Theft, smuggling, and informal acquisition of motorcycles contribute to regional instability. It is recommended that regulations on their sale, importation, and traceability be strengthened to limit their use by non-state actors.

Governance, Security, Groupes armés non étatiques

The article "Mauritania: A Security Exception in the Sahelian Landscape" examines Mauritania's stability amidst growing insecurity in the Sahel. Since 2011, the country has not experienced any terrorist attacks, in contrast to its neighbors. This situation results from a multidimensional strategy, notably the judicious use of the religious factor. Mauritania enjoys a reputation for piety recognized in the Muslim world, which has prevented the state from being easily labeled as "takfir" by armed groups, thus legitimizing violence against it. This reputation has also served as a basis for internal religious dialogue, often cited as an example in the region, including a prison component to combat jihadism. Between 2009 and 2013, measures of social strictness, such as the closure of bars and the Israeli embassy, have reinforced this approach. The article also mentions the "pact thesis," suggesting that Mauritania is spared in exchange for discreet financial support, although this theory remains debated. Finally, Islam is presented as an essential vector of national cohesion, mitigating community tensions and persistent social inequalities.

Security, Jihad, Social cohesion

The National Strategy for Enrolling Students in High-Security-Risk Zones (SSEZDS) 2019–2024 aims to guarantee a safe and inclusive educational environment in conflict-affected areas of Burkina Faso. Led by the Ministry of National Education, Literacy, and National Languages, the strategy is grounded in INEE standards and the national constitution to ensure uninterrupted basic education. Facing significant demographic growth and frequent armed attacks, the approach is structured around three pillars: securing schools (fencing, guards, crisis management units), reopening schools in liberated regions, and strengthening the education system's resilience (training, survival kits, emergency plans). It involves coordination between state entities, local governments, NGOs, and teacher unions, using a robust M&E framework with performance indicators to assess progress through 2024.

Governance, Security, Education, Crisis

The World Bank Group’s Sahel Education White Paper (December 2021) highlights the central role of education for the region’s economic and human development. Each year of education increases incomes by 7% to 15%, while gender inequality and early marriage are particularly acute. Although primary school enrollment doubled and secondary school enrollment tripled between 2005 and 2018, challenges remain: low quality of education, high population growth, and high dropout rates. More than 40% of school-age children are not in school. Improving the quality and access to education is essential to sustainably lift people out of poverty.

Inequality, Gender, Education, Poverty, Démographie

Niger faces a dual threat: jihadist attacks and corruption within its army. Armed groups operate in the east and west, severely testing defense forces. Simultaneously, corruption scandals tarnish military credibility. In May 2020, a fallen soldier's posthumous letter condemned the war's transformation into a "business." An audit by the General Inspectorate of the Armed Forces revealed that between 2014 and 2019, approximately 76 billion CFA francs (116 million euros) were embezzled in arms contracts, accounting for nearly 45% of the annual defense budget. This undermines the effectiveness of counterterrorism efforts and highlights the urgent need for reforms to restore trust and strengthen national security.

State, Bribery, Conflict, Jihad, Military activity, Violence, Crisis

WATHI’s article highlights the growing risks of the Sahel becoming a proxy war theatre, where foreign powers clash to defend their strategic interests. In a context of multiple crises – insecurity, poverty and political instability – the region attracts international actors with divergent agendas, including Russia, China, the United States and the European Union. These interventions, often disguised as aid or partnerships, exacerbate local tensions and divisions between Sahelian countries. Geopolitical rivalries risk aggravating regional fragility and diverting attention from the real challenges: economic development, governance and sustainable security. The article calls for concerted action by Sahelian states to preserve their sovereignty and avoid the instrumentalization of their territories. It also advocates strengthened regional cooperation and balanced partnerships to build lasting peace and respond to human needs.

Sovereignty, Governance, Security, Conflict, Poverty, Crisis

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung article, published on September 15, 2014, examines security challenges in the Sahel-Sahara and West Africa, with a focus on the need for enhanced regional cooperation. Discussions focus on the impacts of regional and international initiatives, including the G5 Sahel, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), ECOWAS, and the African Union, and their ability to effectively address security threats. Recommendations include transparent communication by partners about their identities and intentions, adopting a complementary rather than competitive approach, applying the principle of subsidiarity, and establishing a framework.

Security, Coopération régionale

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) paper published in June 2024 analyses the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government (UCGs) in West Africa since 2020, particularly in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger. It highlights that these successive coups reveal structural weaknesses and complex socio-political challenges specific to each country, requiring a specific approach rather than a uniform vision of a “contagion” of coups. The paper criticises ECOWAS’s response, deemed ineffective, and calls for a reassessment of strategies for managing military transitions. It also recommends that international partners engage constructively without legitimising coups and emphasises the strengthening of regional instruments to respond to violations of democratic governance by elected governments.

Governance, Democracy, Transition, Coup d'État

In the March 2, 2023 article, Dr. Bakary Sambe, Regional Director of the Timbuktu Institute, examines how jihadist groups in the Sahel have transformed into networked community-based actors expanding into the Gulf of Guinea . AQMI and its katibas—Macina, Serma, Alidougou—now operate through decentralized, locally rooted structures while remaining coordinated by JNIM. They exploit local dynamics—family ties, pastoral tensions, weak state presence—to establish footholds in Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. Sambe warns against relying solely on military strategies and calls for a paradigm shift that recognizes the jihadists’ community entrenchment. He advocates a mixed approach combining security measures, regional cooperation, and local dialogue to counter extremist embedding and prevent its spread into coastal regions.

Security, Conflict, Jihad, Violence