The article titled "Climate Risks and Food and Nutrition Security in Niger: Mapping Impacts and Resilience Needs" analyzes the effects of climate change on food security in three regions of Niger. The authors identify drought as the main risk, leading to declines in agricultural production, livestock numbers, and the disappearance of valuable tree species. These impacts exacerbate food insecurity and poverty. Factors contributing to the vulnerability of rural households include land degradation, poverty, and the rudimentary nature of agro-pastoral activities. The study proposes resilience benchmarks, classified into four groups (V1, V2, V3, V4), to guide effective responses to climate risks.

Climate change, Security, Food security

The article examines agroclimatic risks affecting rainfed agriculture in western Niger, combining community perceptions and meteorological data. Communities identify early cessation of rains, early-season sand winds, and dry spells as the main climatic risks. These perceptions align with observed data analyses, except for early cessation of rains, where an improvement is noted but remains imperceptible to communities due to climatic variability. Immediate impacts include loss of seedlings and crops, leading to food insecurity and weakened livestock. Although adaptation strategies, such as the use of improved crop varieties and water and soil conservation techniques, are implemented, communities remain vulnerable to these phenomena. The study suggests that targeted adaptation strategies addressing identified risks would help mitigate the effects of climate change on rainfed agriculture in the Sahel.

Agriculture, Climate change

The study conducted from July 2020 to June 2022 as part of the RESILAC project analyzes individual strategies and collective dynamics influencing mental health and socioeconomic integration of youth in the Lake Chad Basin. It provides an overview of mental health systems in four countries, identifies emerging mental disorders and profiles of individuals in psychological distress, and examines endogenous mechanisms for addressing mental health issues and trauma. The study aims to produce operational knowledge to sustainably improve interventions for youth affected by conflicts in this region.

Governance, Youth, Santé mentale

The report by Search for Common Ground examines the participation of Sahelian women in digital spaces, focusing on the challenges and opportunities they encounter. It highlights that, despite a growing online presence, women face obstacles such as limited access to technology, restrictive sociocultural norms, and risks of online violence. The report recommends actions to enhance women's digital inclusion, including strengthening technological skills, raising awareness of digital rights, and creating safe online environments.

Gender, Women, Violence, Numérique

This article explores state formation in the Sahel through the prism of Charles Tilly’s “warmongering” model, with a focus on the war on terror and its impacts. Focusing on Burkina Faso, it shows a dual dynamic: on the one hand, war strengthens coercive capacities and revives the national project; on the other hand, it weakens the state through its patrimonialization and hybridization. The Sahelian context partly confirms Tilly’s theories, but also reveals a distinct state, which moves away from the ideal Weberian model. International security policies and the management of self-defense groups contribute to this complexity, exposing the state to internal and external challenges. Finally, if war accelerates state formation, it also exacerbates sociopolitical tensions and administrative informality.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Education, Gold, Human security, Threat

The ILO report examines the role of decent work in fostering peace and resilience in the Sahel, aligning with the G5 Sahel's Integrated Priority Action Framework (CAPI). It highlights major challenges, such as inequalities, competition over natural resources, and weak state functions fueling conflicts. The ILO approach offers solutions based on decent job creation, social dialogue, and inclusive local governance. Recommendations include leveraging local resources, supporting essential infrastructure, and implementing programs promoting social cohesion and crisis resilience. This report contributes to sustainable development and peacebuilding efforts.

Natural ressources, Security, Peace, Justice, Education, Mediation, Gold, Social, Dialogue, EMPLOYMENT

Jabir Touré's article, published in the Revue internationale des francophonies, examines the efforts of French-speaking Sahel countries in combating terrorism, focusing on the G5 Sahel. Established in 2014 by Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad, the G5 Sahel is an intergovernmental organization aiming to enhance security and development in the region. Despite international support, notably from France through Operation Barkhane, and the creation of Task Force Takuba in 2020, the G5 Sahel joint force struggles to reach full operational capacity. Terrorist groups like the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) have expanded their influence, making 2019 particularly deadly. However, since the Pau Summit in January 2020, improved coordination between national forces and their partners has partially reversed the balance of power on the ground.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Peace, Justice, Conflict, Jihad, Terrorism, Gold

The article from the Revue internationale des francophonies examines the importance of social bonds between peacekeeping forces and civilian populations, focusing on MINUSMA in Mali. It highlights that traditional peacekeeping operations, centered on aspects such as ceasefire monitoring and population protection, often fail due to the lack of meaningful social interactions with local communities. The author proposes an alternative approach focused on strengthening social bonds, including proficiency in the local language, humanitarian aid, cultural heritage protection, promotion of intercommunity dialogue, and participation in sports and cultural activities. This strategy aims to establish lasting peace by actively involving civilian populations in the stabilization process.

State, Natural ressources, Peace, Justice, Conflict, Gold, Social, Threat, Civil Society, Crisis

This article explores the evolution and impact of terrorism in Africa, highlighting its recent mutations and its adaptation to political and geopolitical contexts. It highlights the rise of radical Islamist groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, AQIM, and their common goals of establishing Islamic regimes based on Sharia law. The fragmentation of states, the inability to control vast and under-administered territories, as well as external influences such as the ideology of Daesh, maintain the expansion of these groups. Key areas, including the Sahel, Sinai and East Africa, are identified as major hotbeds of terrorist activity. The article stresses the urgency of a coordinated and adapted response to counter this growing threat and stabilize the continent.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Security, Jihad, Terrorism, Gold, Human security, Violence, Threat