In Benin, President Patrice Talon’s choice of Romuald Wadagni as his successor for the April 2026 presidential election is seen as unusual in West Africa, as Talon confirms he will step down after two terms—unlike other African leaders extending their rule (e.g., Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire, Biya in Cameroon). Yet, the political climate remains tense. The revised electoral code of March 2024 requires presidential candidates to secure endorsements from at least 15% of deputies and mayors, and imposes a unique 20% threshold per constituency to win a parliamentary seat. These provisions place the opposition, particularly the “Les Démocrates” party, in a precarious position. While the reform aims to reduce political fragmentation and foster coalitions, critics denounce it as a strategy to sideline opposition forces. Thus, despite the promise of a rare democratic transition, uncertainty dominates the pre-election environment.

Politics, Governance, Election, Réforme, Presidential term limits

This article examines South–South security cooperation in Africa through the case of the G5 Sahel. The authors argue that regional organisations, despite being guided by the mantra of “African solutions to African problems,” remain rigid, underfunded, and donor-dependent. In this context, ad hoc initiatives such as the G5 Sahel and the Accra Initiative have proliferated, appearing more flexible and context-sensitive. However, these often become “zombified” institutions shaped by external funding and donor agendas. The G5 Sahel exemplifies this paradox: while it failed to curb insecurity, it nonetheless fostered military cooperation and generated new forms of African agency. This “productive failure” illustrates how Sahelian states repurpose constraints into political opportunities, reassert sovereignty, and engage in new bilateral or regional arrangements, including the creation of the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES).

State, Economic Development, Security, Conflict, Education, Development, Human security, Cooperation, Threat, Knowlege production

This article focuses on intelligence sharing in the Sahel region, analyzing cooperation among African states as well as interactions between regional actors and external powers. The author discusses how intelligence is shared or withheld based on strategic, security, or sovereignty considerations, and highlights challenges such as trust deficits, institutional capacity gaps, and power asymmetries. Even when cooperation frameworks exist, their effectiveness is often undermined by rivalries, resource constraints, or contradictory policies. The study offers concrete case studies illustrating barriers to cooperation, along with proposals to strengthen information-sharing mechanisms (legal frameworks, harmonization, regional governance). In the Sahel context, the article argues that better integration of intelligence is vital for more effective counter-extremism efforts and regional stability.

Governance, Extremism, Cooperation, Violence, Institution, Instabilité

UNICEF’s “Green Schools” Initiative aims to strengthen children’s resilience in West and Central Africa against climate change through education. Aligned with UNICEF’s 2023–2030 Sustainability and Climate Action Plan, it promotes an integrated approach based on three pillars: building eco-friendly and climate-resilient school infrastructure, ensuring school safety and continuity during crises, and advancing climate education and disaster risk reduction. The report emphasizes inclusivity (girls, children with disabilities, displaced populations) and youth participation as central elements. Practical examples illustrate the initiative’s scope: modular sustainable schools in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, solar-powered water supply systems in Nigeria, emergency education planning in Gabon, and student-led clubs “Deen Kan” in Burkina Faso. The initiative calls for cross-sector coordination and stronger partner support to scale up climate action in and through education, making schools both safe spaces and agents of sustainable change.

Governance, Climate change, Inclusion

This analysis explores the business climate in Mauritania, classified among the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). In response to the COVID-19 crisis, the government introduced an Extended Priority Program (PPE) aimed at stimulating economic activity, strengthening social sectors, and promoting food self-sufficiency. However, major challenges remain: outdated fiscal policies, weak debt recovery, and inefficiencies in cross-border trade. The economy is dominated by informality (over 90% of jobs), with high unemployment particularly affecting youth and women, as well as a mismatch between vocational training and labor market needs. The private sector calls for stronger public-private dialogue, improved access to credit, policies fostering youth and women’s entrepreneurship, infrastructure modernization, and strategies for the gradual formalization of businesses. The report advocates for a more inclusive and investor-friendly business environment to foster sustainable economic growth.

Governance, Youth, Food security, Women, EMPLOYMENT, Entrepreneurship, Vocational training, Informality

The article examines the constitutional referendum held in Guinea on September 21, 2025, by Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya’s junta. While presented as a step toward democracy, the process primarily aims to entrench military power. The draft constitution allows junta members to run for elections, extends the presidential term from five to seven years, and grants the executive significant control over Parliament and electoral management. Opposition parties and civil society are sidelined through suspensions, arrests, and enforced disappearances, while media freedoms are heavily curtailed. Despite Afrobarometer surveys showing strong popular support for democracy and civilian rule, the climate of fear, institutional manipulation, and lack of transparency prevent fair contestation. The article stresses that the referendum continues Guinea’s long history of military and authoritarian governance and warns that it could profoundly affect the country’s political and economic stability in the years to come.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Natural ressources, Political Violence, Democracy, Election, Gold, Threat, Transition

This article explores Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy among university students in Ghana and Nigeria, focusing on the affective, behavioral, cognitive, and ethical dimensions (ABCE framework). Based on a survey of 427 students, it demonstrates that motivation and self-efficacy (affective) positively influence knowledge and critical thinking (cognitive), mediated by collaboration (behavioral) and ethical awareness. Results reveal that country differences do not significantly affect these relationships, highlighting a shared underlying mechanism for AI literacy development in West Africa. The study emphasizes the need to strengthen motivation, promote collaborative learning, embed ethical reasoning in curricula, and contextualize pedagogies for local realities. It contributes original empirical evidence to global AI literacy debates by foregrounding West African contexts and offering practical strategies for integrating AI education in resource-constrained environments.

Economic Development, Religious education, Education, Development, Threat, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production, Information, EMPLOYMENT, Intelligence artificielle, Literacy

This article highlights the urgent need to restore trust between communities in West Africa, in the face of growing intercommunal violence, particularly targeting the Fulani. Binta Sidibé Gascon, president of the Kisal Observatory, denounces abuses in Burkina Faso where Fulani populations are accused of collusion with armed groups and subjected to arbitrary arrests, summary executions, and massacres. She even uses the term “ethnic cleansing.” Such violence, perpetuated by impunity, fuels terrorist recruitment and undermines social cohesion. The article stresses that many Fulani are themselves victims of terrorism and that conflating an entire community with extremism deepens the cycle of violence. Two studies are recommended: one on mistrust toward Fulani communities in Côte d’Ivoire, and another on cattle rustling in the Burkina Faso–Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana border area. The author calls for moving beyond prejudice in order to preserve peaceful coexistence in West Africa.

Cultural identity, Governance, Pastoralism, Conflict, Counter terrorism, Violence, Communautarism, Insécurité, Impunity, Transhumance

This article examines the trends and determinants of anemia among women of reproductive age in Mali using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 2001 to 2018. Findings reveal persistently high anemia prevalence despite some fluctuations: a decrease between 2001 and 2006 followed by an increase in later years. Key associated factors include age, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, rural versus urban residence, and number of children. The analysis highlights the strong influence of poverty and unequal access to healthcare in sustaining the problem. The authors recommend multisectoral interventions addressing nutrition, female education, and health service delivery improvements as crucial to reducing anemia and mitigating its adverse impact on maternal and child health.

Inequality, Gender, Natural ressources, Conflict, Religious education, Education, Women, Threat, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production, Santé publique