The document "Analysis of Political and Security Developments in the Sahel and West Africa" delves into the pressing challenges faced by the region in September 2024. Security concerns dominate, with the resurgence of terrorist groups like Boko Haram and expansions into new areas. Affected countries, grappling with delicate political transitions and social emergencies, seek to strengthen regional and international security partnerships. Meanwhile, specific events, including coup accusations, migration crises, and internal conflicts, highlight political fragility in nations like Niger, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire. These dynamics underscore a continuous struggle for stability amidst persistent terrorist threats and prolonged political transitions.

Politics, Governance

The article “Obstacles to access and continuity of education for children in situations of forced displacement in the Central Sahel region – Mali” identifies several major challenges hindering access to education for internally displaced and refugee children. These obstacles include the absence of nearby schools, financial constraints, distance to schools, lack of available places and persistent insecurity. Internally displaced children are particularly affected by domestic work, while refugee children suffer more from the lack of educational infrastructure. The study also highlights the negative impact of the absence of school canteens, especially in a context of food insecurity, and the importance of school latrines to encourage girls’ schooling. Recommendations are made, such as the development of incentive measures (scholarships, school kits, bonuses) to promote access to and retention in school for children at risk of dropping out or not attending school.

Education, Food security, Poverty, Human security

The report focuses on Mauritania's Strategic Plan (DSP) 2019-2023, which aims to eradicate hunger and build resilience to crises. It highlights efforts to align the plan with national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. The World Food Program (WFP) has provided assistance to 1.2 million people, including during the pandemic and droughts, while integrating activities focused on social protection and resilience. Despite the progress observed, challenges remain: lack of flexible funding, insufficient coordination and limited inclusion of cross-cutting issues such as gender equality.

Governance, Agriculture, Economic Development, Livestock, Gender, Natural ressources, Security, Education, Development, Food security, Human security, Social

The document presents an updated analysis of the situation in Eastern Chad, marked by humanitarian, security, and political challenges exacerbated since the recent presidential elections. The region, bordering Sudan, faces massive inflows of Sudanese refugees and internally displaced Chadians, increasing pressure on limited local resources. These crises are compounded by chronic instability due to intercommunal violence, armed incursions, and harsh climatic conditions, compromising food security and access. Weak governance and corruption hinder effective aid management, which remains insufficient to meet the growing needs of displaced populations. Land tensions add to the conflicts, opposing natives and newcomers, and the situation is further complicated by the absence of state services, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of resources.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Human security, Violence, Threat

The document explores the issues surrounding digital sovereignty in West Africa in 2024, examining both the challenges and prospects for achieving digital autonomy. Faced with rising cyber threats, West African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal must strengthen their cybersecurity and manage their dependence on foreign infrastructure, particularly from China and Russia. The text analyzes the risks of losing control over data and increased vulnerability to cyberattacks, while also highlighting ongoing digital sovereignty initiatives. These initiatives include developing local infrastructure and implementing policies to protect data; however, they encounter significant obstacles such as a lack of expertise, low investment, and reliance on imported technologies.

Sovereignty, Governance, Economic Development, Security, Conflict, Education, Development, Human security, Threat, Information, EMPLOYMENT

The document addresses the military presence in Mali and Niger, highlighting the return of military juntas to power since 2020. It analyzes the causes of the coups and the historical influence of the military on politics in these two countries, which has been exacerbated by the heightened insecurity caused by jihadist groups. The military regimes, seeking to assert their sovereignty and legitimize.

Power, State, Security, Justice, Political Violence, Education, Human security, Threat, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production

This research paper is based on a study carried out from september 2019 to november 2020 by a pluridisciplinary social sciences team in six countries : Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Senegal. During the last two decades, the offer of islamic education in the Sahel has been greatly renewed and diversified, thanks to he dynamics speficic to the societies, but also in connection with the commitment of international organisations and States in favor of Education for all politics. The pluralism that caracterizes the offer of islamic education, due to the existence of several sensivities and various sources of funding, poses multidimensional challenges to the countries concerned, particularly in their ability to articulate different, even antagonistic training systems, as well as in their desire to design relevant educational policies in these contexts. The reforms carried out by the public authorities are still partial, while many actors with diverse and sometimes conflicting interests seek to make their mark in the national and sub-regional educational fields. The future of education systems is therefore closely linked to the will of States to organize and govern Arab-islamic education, so present and rooted in local social dynamics, but insufficiently taken into account in its complexity and its permanence.

Religious education, Youth

Resistance, Alternation, Sovereignty" delves into Mali's socio-political developments since the 2020 crisis, highlighted by the ousting of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and subsequent political transitions. Coordinated by Sten Hagberg, the book analyzes popular mobilizations against corruption and mismanagement, embodied by the June 5 Movement - Rally of Patriotic Forces (M5-RFP). It also examines the role of international actors like ECOWAS and the growing tensions between Mali and its partners, particularly France. The work sheds light on the popular desire to rebuild a "Mali Kura" (New Mali) while contextualizing the security, political, and socio-economic challenges. It adopts a citizen-centric approach to the perceptions and struggles amidst change, drawing comparative insights with other regional crises.

Politics, State, Sovereignty, Governance, Security, Justice, Human security, Social