The International Crisis Group’s “Containing the Jihadist Insurgency in West Africa’s W Park” examines the growing influence of jihadist groups in W Park, a cross-border nature reserve between Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These groups are exploiting local tensions over access to natural resources and intercommunal conflicts to strengthen their presence. The article emphasizes that purely military strategies are insufficient to counter this threat. It advocates an integrated approach combining security, socio-economic development, and dialogue with local communities to restore peace and protect the park’s biodiversity.

Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Jihad, Threat

The article “Preventing Jihadists from Penetrating Northern Côte d’Ivoire” analyzes the strategies put in place by the Ivorian government to counter the infiltration of jihadist groups from the Sahel. Faced with the growing threat, the authorities have adopted an approach combining security and socio-economic initiatives. On the security front, military reforms have been undertaken to strengthen the state’s presence in vulnerable areas. At the same time, economic and social development projects aim to improve the living conditions of local populations, thereby reducing the appeal of extremist discourses. The article also highlights the importance of religious tolerance and government surveillance to maintain stability in the north of the country.

Security, Jihad, Military activity, Violence

The Crisis Group article examines the expansion of jihadist groups from the Sahel to coastal countries in West Africa, notably Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo. Taking advantage of security weaknesses and porous borders, these groups are extending their influence, threatening regional stability. The states concerned are struggling to coordinate an effective response to this growing threat. The article highlights the importance of strengthened regional cooperation and increased attention to local socio-economic factors to counter this jihadist advance.

Security, Jihad, Instabilité

This article by ENDA Santé highlights the worsening polycrisis scenario in the Sahel, combining armed conflict, chronic poverty, food insecurity, demographic pressure, and climate change. These intersecting challenges overwhelm health systems and constrain state capacity to ensure essential services, especially amid an anticipated dip in international funding . The piece advocates for a paradigm shift in development strategies: favoring holistic, integrated interventions, tapping local resources, strengthening community resilience, and embracing adaptive governance. ENDA Santé emphasizes the need to connect health, food security, climate action, and peacebuilding into a unified framework to effectively tackle the region’s complex challenges.

Governance, Security, Development, Health, Crisis, Inclusion

Warrantage is currently expanding in several Sahel countries. It is a credit-storage mechanism implemented by a farmers' organization in collaboration with a financial institution. The process involves storing a portion of the harvested cereals in a warehouse for a few months in exchange for an individual loan. Without this credit system, farmers tend to sell their cereals immediately after harvest to repay debts or meet their basic needs. Consequences: Families subsequently struggle to bridge the "hunger gap"—the transitional period between the depletion of stocks and the next harvest—and face challenges in investing in their agricultural production systems. An impact assessment conducted in western Burkina Faso shows that warrantage increases food availability during the hunger gap and strengthens agricultural investment and production. To accelerate its development, three conditions must be met: Access to suitable storage infrastructure, Assurance of the quality of stored products, and Establishment of strong trust-based relationships between financial institutions, producer organizations, and traders. This last condition is being undermined by the expansion of armed conflicts in the Sahel.

Governance, Agriculture, Natural ressources, Security, Education, Development, Gold, Human security, Rural Areas, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production

The food crisis in the Sahel, exacerbated by armed conflict, threatens more than 10.5 million people in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Mauritania. The lean season between harvests is particularly critical, as food stocks are at their lowest. Violence is forcing people to flee, leading them to cultivate their land, reducing agricultural production. For example, in the Liptako-Gourma region of Mali, 80% of arable land has been lost in more than 100 villages. In Burkina Faso, provinces such as Yatenga and Loroum have recorded yield losses of up to 90%. The ICRC is calling for development actors, governments and humanitarian organizations to work together to find innovative solutions to strengthen existing systems and help people end their dependence on humanitarian aid.

Conflict, Crisis management, Food security, Crise alimentaire

survival strategies for themselves and their families. The article highlights these complex dynamics, highlighting how the conflict exacerbates pre-existing gender inequalities. It also calls for concrete actions to protect their rights and strengthen their autonomy in a context of security and social tensions.

Security, Jihad, Terrorism, Extremism, Religion, Women, Vulnerability, Violence

The IRIS study, led by Caroline Roussy, examines the complexity of transboundary threats in the Sahel and West Africa, particularly the spread of terrorism in border areas between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. It highlights that 80% of recorded violence in this region occurs within 100 kilometers of land borders. Borders, often seen as dividing lines, are actually zones of contact and interaction, facilitating the movement of armed groups and the spread of extremist ideologies. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding local dynamics and cross-border interactions to develop effective counter-terrorism strategies. It recommends an integrated approach that considers the socio-economic and cultural realities of border populations, and enhanced cooperation between the concerned states to secure these vulnerable areas.

Governance, Boundary, Security, Cooperation