The report “An Assessment of the Experiences and Vulnerabilities of Pastoralists and At-Risk Groups in the Atakora Department of Benin” explores the root causes of agro-pastoral conflicts and the recruitment strategies of violent extremist organizations (VEOs) in northern Benin. Conducted by Elva Community Engagement in 2022, the study reveals that land reforms, forced sedentarization, socio-political marginalization (particularly of Fulani groups), and intercommunal tensions have been exploited by groups such as JNIM and ISGS. Youth and women are especially vulnerable due to economic exclusion and restrictive social systems. The report also highlights weak local resilience mechanisms and the need for community-driven interventions. Despite rising insecurity, trust in state-led security efforts remains relatively high among local populations.

Gender, Security, Conflict, Political Violence, Education, Human security, Violence, Threat, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production

The article “Changing youth work models in pastoralism: questioning the disruption of institutional compromises in Burkina Faso” analyzes structural transformations in youth labor within the Burkinabe pastoral sector. Drawing on empirical research (2019–2021), the authors show how institutional compromises regarding land tenure and mobility have eroded, leading to growing inequality, restricted mobility, disrupted livestock markets, and the marginalization of pastoral communities. Youth migration emerges both as a coping strategy and a transformative force, reshaping access to resources and social protection mechanisms. Amid rising insecurity and forced sedentarization, pastoralism faces a structural crisis. Yet, the authors highlight emerging forms of youth autonomy and reconfigured social roles. The paper advocates for a renewed political dialogue on development, citizenship, and inclusive institutional arrangements linking local and national governance in rural areas.

Power, Economic Development, Livestock, Natural ressources, Education, Youth, Development, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, EMPLOYMENT

This multi-country study examines Education in Emergencies (EiE) across six Sahel countries facing security, humanitarian, and health crises. Based on document reviews and 209 field interviews, it highlights how displaced children face restricted access to quality education and a weakened educational system. EiE funding is inadequate, fragmented, and largely driven by humanitarian actors, with little institutional coordination. The study recommends leveraging best practices (multigrade teaching, e-learning), establishing national EiE coordination agencies, engaging local communities and diasporas through a Trust Fund, and scaling up the integrated territorial approach tested in Niger. Strengthening the capacity of both public and community actors is critical. The report calls for improved governance, structured financing mechanisms, and more systematic emergency education responses to ensure long-term educational resilience in crisis contexts.

Economic Development, Natural ressources, Education, Development, Gold, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production, Crisis, Funding

This report explores the rise, evolution, and fragmentation of armed extremist groups in the Sahel—AQIM, MUJAO, JNIM, and ISGS. It outlines the root causes of their proliferation: weak state presence, social marginalization, environmental pressures, geopolitical interference, and security vacuums. The analysis reveals how these groups adapt strategically, build local ties, and exploit state fragility. The fall of Libya, successive coups, and the withdrawal of international actors (France, the UN) have reshaped the security environment. The report advocates a multidimensional response: inclusive governance, socio-economic investment, stronger regional cooperation, and engagement of traditional leaders. It highlights the growing threat of violence spilling over into West African coastal states and calls for locally rooted, tailored strategies to achieve sustainable peace and resilience in the region.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Security, Jihad, Terrorism, Political Violence, Gold, Violence, Threat

This report explores major geopolitical shifts in West Africa, notably the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS and the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). It highlights the erosion of trust in regional institutions, the increasing presence of external powers (Russia, China, Turkey), and the risk of renewed proxy conflicts. The author advocates for a more inclusive and responsive diplomacy focused on grassroots realities. The report calls for a reimagining of regional integration—one that strengthens civil society, local peacebuilding, and democratic governance. It insists on restoring citizen trust, shifting from punitive approaches to constructive dialogue, and embracing leadership rooted in local needs and values. Ultimately, it offers a vision for sustainable peace based on justice, inclusion, and community empowerment.

Governance, Civil Society

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

Since 2011, North and West Africa have experienced escalating violence, averaging 3,300 violent events and 12,600 deaths annually between 2015 and 2019. This trend worsened in 2020-2021, with 6,800 events and 18,000 deaths per year. The epicenter of violence has shifted to Nigeria and the border area between Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Civilian-targeted violence has surged by 500% in West Africa since 2016, due to the proliferation of actors such as extremist groups, community militias, and self-defense forces. In 2021, 60% of victims were located within 100 km of a border. The Spatial Conflict Dynamics indicator (SCDi), developed by SWAC/OECD, maps conflict evolution and identifies critical areas, notably Lake Chad, the tri-border region, and Nigeria.

Governance, Boundary, Security, Conflict, Extremism, Violence

This participatory research report, based on consultations with 1,155 individuals in Burkina Faso’s Cascades region, analyzes how armed conflict affects mental health, social cohesion, and livelihoods. It identifies four trauma-related psychological profiles: hyperactivity, avoidance, dissociation, and re-experiencing. The study highlights key triggering and sustaining factors, including social disruption, displacement, weakened livelihoods, and a loss of trust in institutions. Findings demonstrate the deep interconnection between mental health, social cohesion, and economic resilience. The report advocates for a holistic approach combining trauma prevention, community dialogue, and livelihood support. It also recommends using local cultural practices—such as intergenerational dialogue and communal farming—to help rebuild the social fabric and promote sustainable peace.

Power, Natural ressources, Security, Peace, Education, Family, Gold, Human security, Social, Knowlege production