In 2024, Côte d’Ivoire experienced a turbulent political scene ahead of the presidential election scheduled for October 2025. Former National Assembly Speaker Guillaume Soro, exiled in Mali after a 20-year prison sentence for attempted coup d’état, announced his candidacy in an online address on December 31, 2024. On the same day, President Alassane Ouattara declared the retrocession of the French military base of the 43rd Marine Infantry Battalion in Port-Bouët to the Ivorian armed forces in January 2025, marking a turning point in defense relations with France. In addition, the leader of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), Tidjane Thiam, expressed his ambition to transform the country into a prosperous and united nation. For his part, Laurent Gbagbo has affirmed his determination to be re-registered on the electoral lists to participate in the 2025 election, despite the loss of his civil rights due to a previous conviction. On the diplomatic front, tensions have arisen with Niger, accusing the Ivorian army of training Nigerien dissidents, allegations denied by Abidjan.

Political party, Political Power, Governance, Security, Election

The article analyzes health systems in West Africa and proposes actions to improve their efficiency. He noted the progress made, although hampered by conflicts and health crises like Ebola. States are struggling to finance their health systems, leading to inequalities in access to care. WATHI recommends five areas of action: strengthening prevention, training and better distributing health professionals, improving sector financing, optimizing the daily management of health infrastructures and developing research and regional cooperation. Emphasis is placed on the need for citizen and political commitment for sustainable reforms, taking into account the limited resources of the countries concerned.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Education, Gold, Health, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production

The article discusses the critical issue of youth unemployment in West Africa and suggests five key strategies to address it. It emphasizes integrating job creation into public policies through tax incentives and public procurement criteria. Agriculture and livestock farming are identified as essential sectors for massive job generation. Enhancing youth employability requires education reform and stronger partnerships with the private sector. The article also advocates for revising labor laws to create a more flexible and inclusive framework. Lastly, increased investment in employment data collection is needed to guide economic policies effectively.

Politics, Political party, Power, Natural ressources, Justice, Education, Gold, Researh, Knowlege production, EMPLOYMENT

The article "The protection of foreign investments in the face of vulnerabilities in the Sahel" by Issiaka Guindo, doctoral student at the Sorbonne Doctoral School of Law, examines the legal and economic challenges facing foreign investments in the Sahel. This region, marked by political instability and insecurity, affects States' commitments in terms of investment protection. Despite these difficulties, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flows have not been completely deterred, particularly in the natural resources sector such as gold in Mali and Burkina Faso. The article analyzes existing contractual and conventional clauses, in particular full security protection and compensation clauses for losses, while highlighting the limits of State exemption mechanisms (force majeure, state of necessity). The study concludes that although protection mechanisms exist, their implementation in a context of instability remains mixed.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Gold, Human security, Protection

The article The Salafization of Nigerien Society Against the State analyzes the evolution of Salafism in Niger and its impact on society and the State. Since the July 2023 coup, three major forces have been competing for political influence: the military, the jihadists and the Salafists. The latter, although less visible, have a growing influence by spreading a fundamentalist religious ideology. The article traces the history of relations between Islam and the State in Niger, highlighting how Salafization has transformed the social and public sphere. However, it has not yet directly entered the political arena. Salafism presents itself as an alternative to Western models and corrupt regimes, attracting young people in particular. The author highlights the complexity of the situation and the ambiguity of the relations between Salafism, the State and international actors.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Gender, Natural ressources, Justice, Gold, Social, Civil Society

The article “When the community influences public authorities: women mobilized in West Africa” by Larissa Kojoué, published by the Population & Development Center (Ceped, Université Paris Cité – IRD), explores the way in which collective mobilizations of women in West Africa have influenced public policies in recent years. Through several examples (Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Ivory Coast), he highlighted collective actions that led to major political reforms, notably the criminalization of rape, the protection of young girls in school and the fight against sexist violence. The article emphasizes the role of African activists who, beyond international influences, have shaped their own movements with demands adapted to local realities. However, it also highlights persistent challenges, such as the regression of rights under political pressure, security crises and the influence of religious conservatism.

Politics, Political party, State, Gender, Natural ressources, Justice, Political Violence, Gold, Violence, Threat

The article "Pragmatic contexts and formalist contexts. A socio-anthropological perspective", written by Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan, explores the distinction between pragmatic (proximity) contexts and formalist (structural) contexts in social sciences. It shows that the social sciences mix contextualization and decontextualization according to their methods. Qualitative surveys, focused on local interactions, better reflect the complexity of the field than quantitative methods, which favor abstract indicators. The author criticizes social engineering and standardized intervention models, often developed without taking into account local contexts. He defends the importance of the agency of actors and advocates a gradual increase in generality, rather than an abstract and decontextualized generalization. The study of pragmatic contexts allows a better understanding of public policies and development projects, particularly in Africa.

Politics, Political party, Power, Economic Development, Natural ressources, Development, Gold, Social, Researh, Knowlege production

The article Anatomy of “anti-French sentiment”, produced by Caroline Roussy and published by IRIS in March 2024, explores the origin and manifestations of the rejection of France in West Africa and the Sahel. He encountered popular movements contesting the French presence, notably through symbolic acts and violent demonstrations. The text analyzes the involvement of activist figures like Kémi Séba and the influence of foreign powers like Russia. He underlines the absence of scientific methodology to measure this feeling and the role of African political elites who exploit this rejection. The article insists on the fact that this rejection is part of a historical dynamic linked to colonization, Françafrique and persistent economic imbalances.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Sovereignty, Natural ressources, Jihad, Gold, Threat, Civil Society

The book Refugee in One’s Own Country: A Collective Investigation into Internally Displaced Persons in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) examines the plight of individuals fleeing violence in Burkina Faso and seeking refuge in the capital. Conducted in 2021-2022 by a team of Burkinabè and French researchers, the study highlights the exclusion of these internally displaced persons (IDPs) from official statistics and humanitarian aid. Testimonies reveal harsh living conditions, difficulties integrating into the urban environment, and a lack of institutional recognition. The study also explores the complexity of the conflict in the "three-border zone" (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) and the spread of violence. Combining anthropological and geographical approaches, it sheds light on the displaced population’s adaptation strategies and their struggle for visibility amid an ongoing security and political crisis.

Politics, Political party, Gender, Natural ressources, Education, Gold, Social, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production