The article explores how in Africa the law is increasingly used as a “pimping” tool for gerontocratic regimes, undermining substantive democracy. It argues that although the post-independence era held promise for law as social regulation, it became captured by privatized state institutions and used to eliminate opposition rather than secure alternation. Cases in Benin, Senegal and Cape Verde are discussed as (relatively) positive exceptions, while in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Chad, candidacies are constrained and civil rights subverted. Law becomes flexible, adapting to the interests of those in power and thereby reinforcing hybrid and gerontocratic systems. The author calls for a reinvention of citizenship, a law in service of life rather than exclusion, and a stronger role for civil society to reposition politics beyond mere elections.

Governance, Democracy, Election, Inclusion, Gerontocracy

The article highlights that the quality of education in West Africa is largely dependent on teachers’ skills and commitment, yet significant gaps remain in both initial and ongoing training tailored to local contexts. It points out that while corporal punishment has been banned in some countries such as Benin, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal, this legal change has often not been paired with effective pedagogical tools and disciplinary strategies for teachers. Current training schemes frequently fail to align with classroom realities and student needs. The piece calls for comprehensive reform: modernization of teacher training curricula, stronger practical training, responsiveness to social and pedagogical changes, and an improvement in teachers’ working conditions. It urges policymakers, trainers and education systems to act so that teacher training becomes a real lever for transformative education.

Governance, Education, Réforme

This article assesses the strategic planning of education in Côte d’Ivoire, highlighting key strengths and weaknesses. The authors used document analysis and a survey of 301 strategic and operational stakeholders active between December 2022 and April 2023. They found that the prioritisation of education (with 92% of actions financed publicly) and the diversity of educational partners are major strengths. However, the participation rate of operational actors remains low (19%), as decision-making is not sufficiently translated into operational action and there is a strong siloing between the strategic and operational levels. This lack of connectivity limits stakeholder engagement and undermines the effective implementation of plans. The study concludes that enhancing operational involvement, dismantling silos, and strengthening trust and communication among actors are key to improving strategic education planning.

Governance, Education

The article examines how leadership exercised by primary-level school principals (DES) in Côte d’Ivoire contributes to improving student achievement. Faced with many children struggling to master expected competencies, the authors analyse principals’ professional practices, linking them to pedagogical, administrative and organisational management. They show that principals assume multiple responsibilities: mobilising teachers, monitoring learning, involving the school community. However, some challenges remain: gaps in principals’ training, heavy administrative burdens, weak institutional support, which limit the actual impact of these actions. The article concludes by recommending strengthening the role of principals through targeted training, improved working conditions and systemic support to make leadership genuinely tied to student success.

Governance, Education

The article argues that digital transformation in West Africa holds enormous potential for social change but also risks worsening inequality if not grounded locally. It states that the digital shift must be built on local priorities: connecting rural areas, tailoring training programs, supporting youth digital entrepreneurship, and mobilising governments, businesses, universities and civil society. With a large share of future labour market entrants coming from sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, the region faces urgent challenges: reliable internet, digital skills and access remain highly unequal, particularly in rural zones. The piece cites examples such as Benin, Senegal and Nigeria to highlight existing initiatives. It stresses the need for inclusive digital governance, appropriate infrastructure and ethical frameworks, so that technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

Governance, Transition, Numérique, Inclusion

In this article, Anta Barry explores the evolution of the concept of human security in the Sahel region and argues that its ambition is increasingly unattainable. The central Sahel namely Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso represents a paradox: a territory rich in resources yet undermined by weak governance, colonial legacies, mis-aligned development policies and recurrent political instability. The notion of human security, initially focusing on protecting individuals from economic, political and environmental threats, is confronted with a “poly-crisis”: terrorist insecurity, climate change, food crises and the retreat of the state from basic services. Barry criticises the application of standardised international models that fail to reflect Sahelian realities and highlights the shrinking political space of states in the face of powerful external actors. The article concludes that without a rethink of approaches and a genuine empowerment of local actors, the ideal of human security in the Sahel will remain in crisis.

Governance, Climate change, Security, Development, Food security, Crisis

The report analyzes the upcoming 2025 Ivorian presidential election, marked by tension and recurring patterns of political confrontation. It highlights the absence of any peaceful transfer of power since 1995 a situation described as the “Ivorian paradox.” The controversy surrounding President Alassane Ouattara’s fourth-term bid, coupled with the exclusion of key opposition figures, fuels deep resentment and polarization. The report also points to the failure of political elites to establish genuine dialogue on electoral rules, as well as the revival of divisive identity politics related to nationality and “Ivoirité.” Despite steady economic growth, fragile institutions and low public trust increase the risk of instability. The election is therefore described as “high-risk,” with potential for major unrest if the process continues to be viewed as non-inclusive.

Cultural identity, Governance, Election, Political identity, Presidential term limits

The article examines the rise of online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cabo Verde, in connection with the rapid expansion of mobile Internet access. It points out that youths aged 13 to 24 account for a significant share of users on digital platforms, thus increasing their exposure to risks. In Côte d’Ivoire, approximately 21,000 incidents were reported annually between 2019 and 2022, with criminal networks professionalizing techniques such as sextortion, blackmail, and non-consensual dissemination of content. National legal frameworks across the three countries show gaps: certain forms of OCSEA are not criminalized and legal definitions lack harmonization. The report also underscores institutional weaknesses, underreporting of cases, limited coordination, and the constrained capacities of law enforcement. It offers recommendations across multiple levels ECOWAS, member states, law enforcement, tech sector, and NGOs to strengthen prevention, legal response, and victim protection.

Security, Justice, Vulnerability, Enfant, Protection

The 2020 Human Rights Watch report on Côte d’Ivoire highlights economic growth in 2019 but criticizes the government’s failure to address the root causes of past political violence — notably entrenched impunity, judicial politicization, and enduring ethnic tensions. The ICC’s acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé, coupled with stalled domestic prosecutions, reinforced a climate of impunity. Legal reforms—such as the criminalization of torture, reduced pretrial detention, and gender equality measures—were welcomed, yet some provisions threaten freedoms of expression and assembly. Security forces’ excessive use of force against protesters and arbitrary arrests raised further concern. The report urges impartial justice, deeper security sector reform, and greater protection of fundamental freedoms ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

Governance, Justice, Liberté, Impunity, Law