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• Vidéo / Governance, Security and human rights,

  ECOWAS Marks 50 Years in Lagos Amid New Alliances and Security Challenges 03/06/2025

  Summary :

  On the occasion of ECOWAS's 50th anniversary, West African leaders meet in Lagos amid regional turmoil marked by insecurity, the withdrawal of Mali, B...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Togo , Liberia , Guinea-Bissau

  Organizations : WATHI, France 24
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Vidéo / Governance, Security and human rights,
ECOWAS Marks 50 Years in Lagos Amid New Alliances and Security Challenges 03/06/2025
Summary :
On the occasion of ECOWAS's 50th anniversary, West African leaders meet in Lagos amid regional turmoil marked by insecurity, the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, declining international aid, and stricter U.S. tariffs. Analysts Jean-Claude Felix-Tchicaya (IPSE), Gilles Yabi (WATHI), and France 24’s Moise Gomis examine the crisis facing the bloc. ECOWAS's influence is waning, and its credibility is challenged due to inconsistent responses to military coups and a perceived disconnect from citizens’ needs. The panel stresses the urgency of redefining ECOWAS’s purpose, focusing on regional security, cooperation, and socioeconomic development. To remain relevant, the organization must propose a coherent, inclusive vision that resonates with member states and their populations.
Keywords :
Governance, Security, Democracy, Diplomacy, Crisis, Coopération régionale
Organizations :
WATHI, France 24
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Substantive Democracy Tested by Gerontocracy: What Challenges for Intergenerational Dialogue? 18/07/2025

  Summary :

  In his opinion piece published on July 15, 2025, on WATHI, Jean‑Marc Segoun examines the tensions between substantive democracy and gerontocracy, emph...

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  Country : Mali

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Substantive Democracy Tested by Gerontocracy: What Challenges for Intergenerational Dialogue? 18/07/2025
Summary :
In his opinion piece published on July 15, 2025, on WATHI, Jean‑Marc Segoun examines the tensions between substantive democracy and gerontocracy, emphasizing the need for intergenerational dialogue. He positions substantive democracy as a political project focused on innovation, human dignity, and long‑term social justice, where dialogue between elders and youth is crucial. In Africa, gerontocratic regimes often sideline young people from power, reinforcing inequality and stifling knowledge transfer. Segoun advocates for social innovation as a renewal engine—not just novelty, but reinventing practices that combine ancestral wisdom and youthful aspirations. He suggests creating institutional frameworks to foster tolerance, intergenerational ethics, and rites of passage, revitalizing governance and addressing authoritarian regime challenges.
Keywords :
Governance, Democracy, Dialogue, Gerontocracy
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Bulwark under Pressure in West Africa? 10/11/2025

  Summary :

  The article titled “Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Bulwark under Pressure in West Africa?” explores how journalism in several West African countries ...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Senegal , Ivory Coste , Guinea

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Bulwark under Pressure in West Africa? 10/11/2025
Summary :
The article titled “Freedom to Inform: A Democratic Bulwark under Pressure in West Africa?” explores how journalism in several West African countries is increasingly an act of resistance amid growing restrictions. Media outlets face rising authoritarianism, the frequent use of “fake news” laws, online disinformation and financial precarity. The digital space, as a new frontier for democracy, is especially under threat: unregulated platforms, shared data and interoperability raise major concerns for independent, reliable journalism. Journalists’ roles are being redefined: they must verify, connect, simplify and defend everybody’s right to information. The piece emphasises that protecting freedom to inform is essential to safeguard one of democracy’s pillars in the region.
Keywords :
Governance, Democracy, Disinformation
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing 25/08/2025

  Summary :

  The article “Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing” examines democratic backsliding in West and Central Afr...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Mali , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing 25/08/2025
Summary :
The article “Substantive democracy: an alternative for societies of resignation and silencing” examines democratic backsliding in West and Central Africa. Jean-Marc Segoun highlights “hybrid” regimes—whether civilian or military—sustaining power through gerontocracy, clientelism, militarization, and coercive use of law. These systems foster fear, resignation, and silence political opposition while curtailing fundamental freedoms. Recent examples include the dissolution of political parties in Mali, repression in Burkina Faso, civil rights restrictions in Côte d’Ivoire, and entrenched authoritarianism in Cameroon. The author argues that civil society must move beyond neutrality to become a political force proposing viable alternatives. This requires building networks, sharing practices, and inventing new paradigms suited to contexts of repression. “Substantive democracy” is proposed as a framework to resist authoritarianism, regenerate political thought, and offer pathways toward inclusive governance in societies where traditional democracy has been hollowed out.
Keywords :
Governance, Democracy, Civil Society
Organizations :
WATHI
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