This podcast-article warns against the growing spread of disinformation in West Africa, especially centered around Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s transitional leader. AI-generated deepfakes glorify him as a pan-African hero, widely circulating on social media and fueling polarization. The author highlights the decline of rational discourse, replaced by radical and binary narratives. He stresses the danger this manipulation poses to democracy, social cohesion, and youth mobilization. The piece also denounces repression in Burkina Faso and the departure of educated professionals from the Sahel. Drawing on Thomas Sankara’s legacy, the author calls for critical thinking and warns against youth being exploited by authoritarian figures using digital disinformation as a weapon.

Youth, Réseaux sociaux, Disinformation

Modou Ndiaye's article highlights statelessness in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, where over a million people are stateless and hundreds of thousands at risk. This issue stems from legal gaps, discriminatory nationality policies, border changes, lack of awareness about civil registration, and the absence of automatic nationality transmission. The consequences are severe: lack of access to education, healthcare, and formal employment. The author calls for legislative reforms, modernization of civil registration, awareness campaigns, and the establishment of procedures to determine stateless status, in line with international conventions ratified by Senegal.

Human Rights, Discrimination, Nationality, Statelessness

This article examines the inclusion of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in governmental policies implemented in West Africa during the Covid-19 pandemic. The authors analyzed 81 official documents to assess the alignment of these policies with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to disability. While some countries took measures such as distributing personal protective equipment and establishing accessible educational platforms, the study reveals that these initiatives are often inadequately implemented. PwDs continue to face significant barriers in accessing essential services, including education and healthcare. The authors emphasize the need for governments to adopt more inclusive policies and ensure their effective implementation to prevent PwDs from being left behind in development efforts.

Crisis, Politique publique, Disability, Inclusion

In 2024, Africa experienced unprecedented flooding across 27 countries, affecting over 11 million people, causing 2,500 deaths, and displacing 4 million. The most severely affected countries included Nigeria, Chad, Mali, Sudan, and South Sudan. These extreme events, intensified by climate change and El Niño, are becoming more frequent. The report emphasizes that governance is a key factor in vulnerability: the most affected countries are largely categorized as “not free,” with limited disaster response capacity. Poor infrastructure, weak institutional preparedness, and corruption have worsened the impact. The article calls for stronger climate resilience through improved governance, risk prevention policies, and early warning systems. It also links state fragility to environmental shocks and stresses the need for integrated solutions to address compounding humanitarian and climate-related crises.

Power, State, Governance, Natural ressources, Conflict, Education, Gold, Poverty, Threat, Civil Society

This Policy Brief explores Senegal’s role in mediating the crisis between ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), formed by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after their withdrawal from ECOWAS. Drawing on its diplomatic tradition and neutrality, Senegal, under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has been appointed as a facilitator. While Senegal officially promotes the AES’s return to ECOWAS, its emissary's statements suggest a more nuanced stance. The brief analyzes issues of regional integration, governance, security cooperation, and sovereignty. It highlights the need for realistic mediation, one that acknowledges the AES states’ security concerns while preserving ECOWAS’s democratic and economic frameworks. The document also emphasizes the regional consequences of the split, including economic fragmentation and weakened security cooperation, urging Senegal to play a strategic and balanced role.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Conflict, Gold, Human security, Diplomacy, Crisis

This article presents an overview of Africa’s migration trends as 2025 approaches. It highlights a sharp decline in irregular migration to Europe and the Arabian Peninsula due to stricter border control policies (notably in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, and Mauritania). Meanwhile, informal intra-African migration is on the rise, driven mostly by economic reasons. West Africa, especially Mali, remains a key emigration zone due to political instability and high unemployment. Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya are leading destinations. The article also underscores increased risks faced by migrants (shipwrecks, trafficking, violence) and calls for regional policy innovation, stronger protection frameworks, and improved migration governance. It emphasizes the growing demographic pressure and highlights new responses, including regional free movement protocols, EU partnerships, and bilateral agreements aiming to link labor supply and demand across continents.

Migration, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Education, Development, Gold, Human security, Researh, EMPLOYMENT

This document analyzes the contextual factors influencing health emergencies in West Africa, focusing on Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. It examines how epidemics, such as Ebola, COVID-19, mpox, and Lassa fever, are shaped by sociocultural, economic, and political dynamics. The report emphasizes the need for an integrated approach, recognizing the complexity of health crises and the importance of local knowledge. It highlights existing capacities in the region, including disease control centers and academic institutions, while calling for strengthened governance and coordination of responses. The document advocates for better integration of social sciences into health emergency preparedness and response, aiming to develop more effective and contextually appropriate interventions.

Governance, Soicial sciences, Santé publique, Emergency

This report investigates youth agripreneurs in Benin, Ethiopia, and Senegal based on a survey of 634 individuals aged 15–35. It highlights the diversity of food-related enterprises, with most youth engaged in farming, processing, or retail. These are typically micro-businesses with modest turnover but significant employment potential. Half of the youth entered agribusiness by choice, and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs outperform those driven by necessity. Access to finance is the most common constraint, while public policy support—especially in training and market access—is widely sought. The study emphasizes the need for differentiated support policies and reaffirms agriculture as an attractive sector for youth. Although many gained skills through informal means, demand for practical training is high. Use of innovation and technology remains low, pointing to a gap between youth aspirations and structural support.

Agriculture, Economic Development, Religious education, Education, Youth, Development, Food security, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, EMPLOYMENT

Published in The Journal of Climate Change and Health, this paper examines the intensifying impacts of climate change in West Africa’s Sahel region, focusing on countries such as Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Senegal. Rising temperatures, desertification, erratic rainfall, and flooding are exacerbating competition over land and water, escalating violent conflict, and triggering mass displacement. Over 13 million people are now internally displaced across the region. Urban and rural populations alike face growing food insecurity, water scarcity, health service gaps, and significant mental health burdens. The paper calls for integrated climate adaptation policies, improved protection of displaced populations, conflict prevention strategies, and enhanced regional cooperation. It also highlights the urgent need for further research and investment to strengthen resilience and prevent humanitarian crises

Climate change, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Political Violence, Human security, Violence, Threat, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production