This study, conducted by the Regional Programme Political Dialogue in West Africa (PDWA) of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in collaboration with Promediation, analyzes the expansion of jihadist groups from the Sahel into the coastal countries of the Gulf of Guinea. Originating from Burkina Faso, where certain regions are beyond state control, these groups are moving southward, utilizing border national parks as strategic retreat areas and sources of funding. The study emphasizes the urgency for coastal countries to strengthen regional cooperation and implement tailored strategies to contain this growing threat.

Governance, Boundary, Security, Jihad, Threat

The Afrikajom Center colloquium, held in Dakar from March 8–10, 2023, gathered experts, researchers, and political actors to reflect on the multifaceted crisis facing democracy in West Africa. Discussions highlighted growing authoritarianism (e.g., third terms, state capture, rollback of freedoms), weak institutions, corruption, and the exclusion of youth and women. Participants called for a democratic renewal rooted in African contexts: checks on presidential power, independent judiciary, civic participation, inclusive governance, constitutional reform, and strengthened accountability. The event emphasized the need to rethink governance amid security instability, military transitions, and institutional inefficiency. It advocated for rebuilding a generational social contract and supporting the rise of a more participatory, context-responsive African democracy fit for 21st-century challenges.

Governance, Democracy, Transition, Rule of law

Since December 2021, Northern Benin has experienced escalating violence linked to violent extremist groups (VEOs), notably Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). Initially confined to national parks, the violence has spread to populated areas. The report emphasizes that these threats primarily originate from neighboring countries—Burkina Faso, Niger, Togo, and Nigeria—rather than internal Beninese tensions. VEOs utilize Benin as a strategic buffer zone to evade regional military pressure and expand their influence. The report recommends enhanced regional coordination and cross-border programs to effectively address this threat.

Boundary, Security, Extremism, Violence, Groupes armés

This article analyzes the transformation of migration regimes in Central Sahel, especially in Niger, a country historically sidelined in migration studies. It details the rise of "transit" as a dominant migration regime from the 2000s, driven by international governance and EU externalization policies. Institutionalized through law (notably the 2015-36 anti-smuggling law), migration in Niger became increasingly criminalized and controlled. However, recent dynamics—including Sahelian crises (armed conflict, forced displacements), the 2023 repeal of migration laws, the growth of intra-African mobility recognized in Niger’s 2020 National Migration Policy, and the expansion of humanitarian infrastructure—challenge this framework. The Sahara now functions as a “trap space” for migrants, marked by constrained mobility, violence, and legal uncertainty. The article ultimately calls for a reconceptualization of transit not as passage or blockage, but as precarious, multi-directional movement shaped by both national policy shifts and regional instability.

Governance, Migration, Boundary

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 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

The article published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies on September 12, 2023, explores the worsening security crisis in Burkina Faso following the 2022 military coups. Islamist militant groups, including Katibat Hanifa and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, have escalated attacks, surrounding Ouagadougou and controlling nearly half the national territory. This violence has led to a 165% increase in civilian deaths over 18 months, the displacement of over 2.1 million people, and the closure of 6,134 schools, affecting more than a million students. Approximately 800,000 people across over two dozen towns are besieged by these armed groups. The instability has spilled into neighboring regions in Mali, Niger, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, posing a major threat to regional security.

Jihad, Insécurité, Crise humanitaire

Action Against Hunger's 2024 regional report assesses biomass production in the Sahel and West Africa. Following a poor rainy season in 2023, 2024 was marked by abundant rainfall, particularly in the central Sahel, leading to exceptional biomass yields in Niger, Chad, and Burkina Faso. In contrast, coastal countries and some agricultural areas of Mali, Senegal, and southern Chad recorded moderate to low biomass production. Despite sufficient overall resource availability, access is hampered by insecurity, restrictions on livestock mobility, and pressure on grazing land. The report highlights the importance of sustainable resource management, support for pastoralists, and facilitating cross-border transhumance before the 2025 dry season.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Security, Development, Gold, Poverty, Human security, Vulnerability, Knowlege production