In 2024, violence by Islamist militant groups in Africa caused an estimated 18,900 deaths, with the Sahel, Somalia, and the Lake Chad Basin most affected. The Sahel alone accounted for 55% of the total fatalities, notably in Burkina Faso, which has become the epicenter of insurgent activity. The JNIM coalition (linked to AQIM) is responsible for the majority of attacks. Alarmingly, more civilians were killed by Sahelian security forces and their Russian allies than by militants. Violence is rising in Niger, Togo, and Benin, while Somalia, despite a decrease in deaths, remains impacted by Al Shabaab and the Islamic State. Mozambique and North Africa have also seen renewed increases. The report warns that actual figures may be underreported due to media repression. The data illustrates the persistence and adaptability of militant operations across the continent.

Political party, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Political Violence, Gold, Human security, Violence, Threat

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 report documents the sharp rise in disinformation campaigns across Africa—from 50 in 2022 to 189 in 2024—with nearly 60% sponsored by foreign state actors, chiefly Russia, China, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. West Africa is the most targeted region, with 72 campaigns, particularly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. These campaigns aim to shape political narratives, undermine democracy, support military coups, and discredit international institutions. Russia-linked networks, including Wagner, have been central in the Sahel. The report also highlights increasing domestic disinformation, notably during Kenya’s 2022 and Nigeria’s 2023 elections, as well as growing involvement of Islamist militant groups. Disinformation is spreading rapidly due to social media use and declining press freedom, posing a significant threat to stability, civil rights, and democratic governance across the continent.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Education, Gold, Social, Influence, Infowar, Information

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

The Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin for Northern Côte d'Ivoire (No. 2, Dec. 2024 – Jan. 2025) provides insights into pastoral dynamics in Bounkani and Tchologo regions. While pasture resources are generally sufficient, pressure has increased due to the influx of refugees, cross-border herd movements, and forced relocations. Livestock body condition is fair, with notable deterioration among large ruminants. Animal disease cases are rising. Farmer-herder conflicts and cattle thefts have intensified, alongside growing insecurity. Livestock prices remain low compared to cereals, weakening pastoralists' purchasing power. Despite market accessibility, the scarcity of fodder and veterinary services compounds vulnerabilities. The bulletin recommends improved coordination among state actors, NGOs, and local communities to support resilience, manage tensions, and protect livelihoods.

State, Livestock, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Education, Gold, Human security, Social, Researh

This Policy Brief from the Gorée Institute examines the root causes of state fragility in the Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) and outlines practical strategies for rebuilding resilient institutions. It highlights the dominance of the executive branch, institutional weaknesses, lack of political legitimacy, social inequalities, climate change, and insecurity as core drivers of collapse. The brief proposes a comprehensive reform agenda focused on democratic governance (institutional balance, judicial independence) and good governance (decentralization, transparency, and poverty reduction). It emphasizes the need for an integrated approach combining institutional reform, inclusive development, regional cooperation, and citizen engagement to restore state legitimacy and stability in the Sahel.

Politics, Political party, Power, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Gold, Human security, Social, Institution

The article examines the challenges faced by young people in the Sahel, including insecurity, unemployment, territorial inequalities, and political exclusion. Youth in conflict zones often serve on the front lines or are pushed to desperate choices due to lack of opportunity. Urban–rural disparities and the failure of imported democratic models have led to deep frustrations. Some transitions, particularly military ones in Burkina Faso, receive popular support but raise concerns about civil liberties. The piece underscores the need for inclusive governance, stronger representation of youth and minorities, and holistic solutions addressing the root causes of instability. It calls for educational reform, psychosocial support, equitable access to resources, and renewed civic participation among youth.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Security, Political Violence, Education, Gold, Human security, Social, Threat

This April 2025 policy brief by the Gorée Institute, in collaboration with ETTG, explores the deep interconnections between development and security in the Sahel. Based on a workshop held in Gorée, African and European experts emphasized how geopolitical fragmentation, poverty, climate change, and social exclusion fuel instability. The brief criticizes the EU’s approach as being overly driven by its own priorities (energy, migration) and calls for a paradigm shift towards more balanced partnerships. It highlights the need to integrate gender, youth, and local cohesion dimensions, including traditional and religious authorities. The EU is urged to invest in public services, inclusive governance, and sustainable local dialogues rather than relying on militarized approaches. The brief advocates for gradual re-engagement, including with the AES, to address Sahelian challenges in a structural and coordinated manner.

Politics, Political party, State, Economic Development, Natural ressources, Security, Mediation, Development, Gold, Human security

In her review of Guérir en Afrique. Promesses et transformations, Géraldine Vernerey-Kopp examines a collective volume edited by Alice Desclaux, Aïssa Diarra, and Sandrine Musso. The book investigates the concept of healing in various African settings through a multidisciplinary and constructivist lens. Spread over 14 chapters and four parts, the work explores healing as a therapeutic promise, a collective construction, an individual perception, and a global health issue. It highlights the complexities of medical pluralism, the interaction between biomedicine, traditional, and religious healing systems, and the challenge of defining “healing” in chronic or socially constructed illnesses. Although the notion of healing sometimes remains elusive, the book offers valuable insights to rethink healthcare systems and the role of local therapeutic knowledge in Africa and beyond.

Power, Natural ressources, Education, Gold, Social, Health, Customs, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production