The report Biomass Production in Mali 2025: Analysis and Prospects for 2026, published by Action Against Hunger (ACF), assesses vegetation production using satellite data (SPOT-VEGETATION, PROBA-V, SENTINEL-3). Despite insecurity and below-average rainfall in northern regions, overall biomass production remains above average, especially in southern and central Mali. However, northern areas (Timbuktu, Gao, Ménaka, Kidal) show significant deficits, pointing to an early pastoral lean season. The report urges enhanced security, sustainable pasture management, and livestock support. Projections for 2026 indicate contrasting situations: an early lean season in the north and a delayed one in the south. The study highlights how climate variability and insecurity affect pasture availability and pastoral resilience across Mali.

State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Education, Gold, Poverty, Human security, Vulnerability, water

The paper examines whether greater accessibility to electronic money boosts financial inclusion in WAEMU countries over 2010–2022. Using annual data and Method-of-Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR) to tackle heterogeneity and endogeneity—plus IV-2SLS robustness checks—the authors find that both geographic and demographic penetration of e-money service points significantly increase financial inclusion. Two mechanisms drive the results: (1) expanding formal financial services (payments, transfers, savings) to rural and peri-urban areas by cutting transaction and travel costs; and (2) a catalytic effect that is stronger where initial inclusion is higher, deepening usage among already banked populations. Additional positive correlates include schooling, trade openness, mobile subscriptions, and internet access. Despite progress, WAEMU’s inclusion rate lags developing-country averages, implying a need to scale digital infrastructure, security/trust measures, and human-capital investments.

Governance, Démographie, Inclusion

This Action Against Hunger report assesses biomass production in northern Côte d’Ivoire (Bagoué, Bounkani, Folon, Poro, and Tchologo regions) during the 2025 season. Findings show a marked improvement compared to 2024, with production levels equal to or above the 25-year average. Departments such as Ferkessédougou and Minignan nearly reached historical maxima, while M’Bengué and Ouangolodougou remained below average. The report highlights the strain on pastoral resources due to cross-border transhumance and inflows of herders from Burkina Faso and Mali. The authors recommend maintaining monitoring systems for pastoral zones, strengthening awareness among host and transhumant communities, and guiding herders toward areas with higher biomass potential to ensure sustainable management of grazing resources.

Pastoralism, Natural ressources, Justice, Education, Gold, Poverty, Vulnerability, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production, water

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

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.

Sovereignty, Youth, Numérique, Disinformation

The paper “Most Western African migrants remain local and travel short distances” by Irene Tafani, Ola Ali, Rafael Prieto-Curiel, and Massimo Riccaboni investigates migration distances of over 60,000 individuals from eight West African countries (Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, and Chad) during 2021–2023. Using Random Forest and XGBoost machine-learning models on International Organization for Migration data, the study finds a bimodal distribution: most migrants move locally within 100 km, while a smaller share travels more than 3,000 km. Key determinants of migration distance include employment status, nationality, and motives for movement, with conflict-driven migration being especially long and unpredictable. The paper underscores that most mobility in West Africa is regional or short-distance and urges policy frameworks that integrate both local and long-range displacement dynamics.

Migration, Conflict, Poverty, Socio-economic integration

The Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin No. 33 (June–July 2025), published by Action Against Hunger (ACF), reports a gradual improvement in pastoral conditions with the onset of the rainy season across the Sahel. Vegetation growth and water replenishment have enhanced forage and watering availability. Livestock body condition is assessed as fair, with some reported animal diseases but no major outbreaks. Cattle movements remain limited, though some returns and forced displacements continue due to insecurity. Cereal and livestock prices have slightly increased, resulting in unfavorable terms of trade for herders. The report also highlights the persistent vulnerability of displaced households and the need for stronger support to the pastoral sector.

State, Livestock, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Education, Gold, Human security, Vulnerability, water

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 Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin No. 36 (August–September 2025), published by Action Against Hunger – Mali Mission, provides an overview of pastoral conditions in Gao and Timbuktu regions. Seasonal rains have improved pasture availability, vegetation cover, and livestock health, easing tensions between herders and farmers. Access to water remains satisfactory on 61% of monitored sites. However, security challenges persist, with continued livestock thefts and extortion by armed groups. Market exchange terms remain unfavorable to herders, and institutional support for the pastoral sector is limited. The report calls for strengthening veterinary services, conflict prevention mechanisms, and sustainable management of rangeland resources to improve livelihoods and food security in northern Mali.

State, Livestock, Natural ressources, Security, Education, Gold, Human security, Knowlege production, Marché, water