Other documents that may interest you :

• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Is Foreign Policy Still an Elite Affair in the Sahel? 05/05/2025

  Summary :

  Angeline Savadogo's article explores the shifting nature of foreign policy in the Sahel, once confined to diplomatic elites but now influenced by acti...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Mali , Niger

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Is Foreign Policy Still an Elite Affair in the Sahel? 05/05/2025
Summary :
Angeline Savadogo's article explores the shifting nature of foreign policy in the Sahel, once confined to diplomatic elites but now influenced by active youth participation. Young people, educated or not, increasingly engage with geopolitics—through protests, demands for sovereignty, and symbolic actions—reflecting a politicized but often under-informed citizenry. The article highlights the institutional void: youth centers are dysfunctional, formal diplomacy remains distant, and international norms like the Vienna Convention are little known. Social media becomes the main outlet for expression. Savadogo calls for inclusive strategic thinking involving youth, scholars, and institutions. She advocates for integrating international relations into educational systems and fostering participatory diplomacy. In the Sahel’s shifting geopolitical landscape, youth are not passive observers—they are emerging actors. Without structured engagement, they risk becoming destabilizing forces instead of constructive agents of change.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Governance, Youth, Democracy
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,

  Moral bankruptcy, unrealism and the temptation of “suicide with dignity” are putting the African continent at risk 02/12/2025

  Summary :

  Dr. Olakounlé Gilles Yabi’s article warns of a deep moral and institutional decline threatening West Africa and the wider African continent. Since 202...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Niger , Nigeria , Senegal , Benin , Ivory Coste , Ghana , Liberia , Cape Verde

  Organizations : WATHI
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Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance,
Moral bankruptcy, unrealism and the temptation of “suicide with dignity” are putting the African continent at risk 02/12/2025
Summary :
Dr. Olakounlé Gilles Yabi’s article warns of a deep moral and institutional decline threatening West Africa and the wider African continent. Since 2020, constitutional manipulation, third-term bids and military coups have multiplied, revealing the normalization of political cynicism. Examples include Alpha Condé in Guinea, Alassane Ouattara in Côte d’Ivoire, and, more recently, Mamadi Doumbouya’s candidacy despite previous pledges. Across countries such as Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Benin, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, electoral manipulation, repression, forced disappearances and media intimidation have become routine strategies to entrench power. In the Sahel, military regimes embrace what the author describes as “sovereign suicide,” sacrificing governance, social cohesion and basic services under the banner of sovereignty. Populations face escalating violence, economic collapse, displacement and school closures. Meanwhile, global powers continue extracting mineral resources, indifferent to local chaos. Yabi urges African leaders and civil societies to confront the continent’s extreme vulnerabilities before an irreversible loss of control occurs.
Keywords :
Politics, Sovereignty, Governance, Crisis, Coup d'État
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Podcast / Governance,

  Strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth, fostering critical thinking, and negotiating with “Big Tech 03/11/2025

  Summary :

  In his WATHI column, Harouna Drabo warns about the growing threat of disinformation and foreign influence operations in West Africa, especially amid o...

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  Country : Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Mali , Niger , Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
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Podcast / Governance,
Strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth, fostering critical thinking, and negotiating with “Big Tech 03/11/2025
Summary :
In his WATHI column, Harouna Drabo warns about the growing threat of disinformation and foreign influence operations in West Africa, especially amid ongoing political instability and repeated coups. The region’s young, hyperconnected population has become a prime target for online manipulation campaigns. Drabo argues for strengthening the cognitive resilience of youth through education in critical thinking, source verification, and media literacy. He advocates a systemic, multi-stakeholder response involving the media, civil society, public institutions, and digital platforms. Regional organizations such as ECOWAS and the African Union should take the lead in building African digital sovereignty and negotiating with Big Tech to ensure fair content regulation and information security across the continent.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Youth, Numérique, Disinformation
Organizations :
WATHI
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• Digital platform / Governance, Resilience,

  Building the Future Differently: A West African Compass for Transitions 08/08/2025

  Summary :

  West Africa confronts profound challenges — climate change, demographic pressure, rapid urbanization, technological shifts — amid persistent vulnerabi...

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  Country : Nigeria

  Organizations : WATHI
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Digital platform / Governance, Resilience,
Building the Future Differently: A West African Compass for Transitions 08/08/2025
Summary :
West Africa confronts profound challenges — climate change, demographic pressure, rapid urbanization, technological shifts — amid persistent vulnerabilities but also significant opportunities. This op-ed by Marie-Noël Maffon, published on July 31, 2025 in WATHI’s Tribune section, advocates for an “African compass for transitions,” rooted in endogenous transformation. It emphasizes building resilience, investing in human capital, and advancing economic sovereignty, with youth and local knowledge as drivers of inclusive governance. The article highlights the severe impact of climate — floods, droughts, agricultural losses — threatening food security and livelihoods. Water-related tensions, particularly in the Lake Chad basin and Niger River valley, underscore the heightened risk of conflict. The most vulnerable — women, children, small-scale farmers, indigenous populations — are bearing the brunt of this multidimensional crisis.
Keywords :
Sovereignty, Youth, Transition, Inclusion
Organizations :
WATHI
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