This article examines the emergence of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), created in 2023 by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following a series of military coups. The author situates the AES within the broader trajectory of Sahelian securitization, rooted in counterterrorism strategies implemented since the early 2000s. Drawing on securitization and resilience theories, the study argues that AES regimes promote a form of “maintenance resilience,” aimed at preserving an already securitized political order rather than addressing the structural drivers of insecurity. Despite official narratives emphasizing sovereignty, rupture, and anti-imperialism, the Alliance largely reproduces existing security logics and dependencies, particularly through new external military partnerships. The analysis highlights how the dominance of security-based governance reinforces the suspension of democratic processes and limits prospects for political transformation. Ultimately, the article questions the capacity of the AES to provide a sustainable and inclusive response to the Sahel’s multidimensional crises.

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

The article “Far from the battle of narratives and passions: exploring the lived experiences of populations in besieged localities in Mali” draws on the research study Living under blockade: areas under JNIM influence in Mali, conducted by Mahamadou Bassirou Tangara and Ibrahima Poudiougou. The study examines the impact of blockades imposed by jihadist armed groups, particularly the Katiba Macina affiliated with JNIM, on civilian populations in central Mali. Using a qualitative and comparative methodology in the Mopti and Ségou regions, the authors document the severe consequences of these blockades: isolation, collapse of economic activities, targeted violence, restrictions on movement, social fragmentation, and school closures. The article highlights blockade as a long-term strategy of territorial control with devastating effects on daily life, far beyond military considerations. By centering local voices and lived experiences, the research moves away from ideological narratives and provides grounded insights that are essential for informing political and security decision-making in Mali.

Politics, Governance, Security, Crisis, Groupes armés

The article “Massive student failures in Benin’s faculties: the difficult beginnings of university reforms”, written by Florent Houessinon, examines the deep crisis affecting public higher education in Benin, highlighted by extremely low success rates, particularly at the University of Abomey-Calavi. At the Faculty of Law and Political Science (FADESP), academic year 2020–2021 data show success rates below 5% in some programs. Several factors are identified, including overcrowded classrooms, weak teaching practices, lack of teacher evaluation, outdated curricula, exam fraud, and the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, the Beninese government launched a broad reform agenda in 2021, focusing on university governance, teacher recruitment and evaluation, and the creation of ethics and oversight bodies. While these reforms aim to improve academic quality and accountability, the article stresses that they face significant challenges due to entrenched practices and deep structural weaknesses within the university system.

Politics, Governance, Education, Réforme

The article “Can Guinea eradicate coups d’état from its political culture?”, written by David Zounmenou for the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), examines the structural drivers behind Guinea’s September 5, 2021 military coup and the country’s long-standing pattern of unconstitutional power seizures. The overthrow of President Alpha Condé followed his highly contested third term, made possible by constitutional manipulation, and occurred amid widespread political repression, poor governance, and entrenched impunity. The author argues that the lack of accountability undermines democratic consolidation and creates fertile ground for repeated military intervention. By placing the 2021 coup in Guinea’s historical trajectory—marked by successive military regimes since independence—the article highlights the fragility of both political and security institutions. More broadly, it challenges the notion that coups reflect a failure of democracy itself, instead pointing to governance deficits and abuse of power. To end coups as a political norm, the article calls for ending impunity, strengthening constitutional order, and firmer action by the African Union and regional bodies.

Culture, Politics, Governance, Security, Coup d'État

The article examines Africa’s economic outlook for 2026, drawing on the analysis of Kenyan scholar Ken Opalo. Based on forecasts from the African Development Bank, Africa’s economic growth is expected to reach 4.4%, slightly surpassing Asia’s projected growth of 4.1%, an unprecedented situation in recent history. This growth is largely driven by commodities, particularly metals, and reflects a recovery after the COVID-19 slowdown. While acknowledging that GDP growth is an imperfect indicator of collective well-being, the author argues that growth remains preferable to stagnation, especially in low-income countries. Nations such as Ghana, Zambia and Ethiopia are showing signs of recovery. Major economies like Nigeria and South Africa are also improving, supported by macroeconomic reforms, energy sector changes and industrial investments. However, the article highlights persistent structural constraints, including poor management of natural resources, widespread smuggling, and chronic underinvestment in education, which undermine Africa’s ability to convert growth into long-term, inclusive development.

Governance

This report by the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning examines corruption risks in Guinea’s education sector, focusing on three critical areas: public procurement, school infrastructure construction, and the management of textbooks and school feeding programmes. Despite the existence of a formal regulatory framework, the study identifies widespread practices that undermine transparency, including bribery, manipulation of procurement procedures, weak oversight mechanisms, and limited technical capacity at the local level. School construction projects are frequently affected by political pressure and non-compliance with the official school mapping system. The textbook supply chain is particularly vulnerable, with documented cases of fraud, poor contract enforcement, and large discrepancies between planned and actual distribution. School feeding programmes also face risks related to inflated prices, incomplete deliveries, and substandard food quality. The report concludes with a set of practical recommendations aimed at strengthening accountability, improving stock management systems, enhancing inspection capacities, and increasing community participation to reduce corruption risks in the education sector.

Politics, Bribery, Governance, Education

The article examines how the December 7, 2025 attempted coup in Benin became a narrative struggle between opposing interpretations of the event. The Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR) aimed to promote a revolutionary narrative by occupying the national television and denouncing deteriorating security conditions. In response, the Beninese government quickly crafted a counter-narrative, led by the Minister of the Interior, that downplayed the incident as an isolated mutiny and employed crisis communication strategies to reassure the public and stabilize perceptions. The article highlights the role of framing in shaping public understanding and explains that the government’s rapid and controlled communication neutralized the putschists’ messaging. Despite the failure of the attempted coup, the underlying causes of the crisis remain unresolved, and the article argues that future communication should focus on reforms to address grievances and prevent similar challenges to constitutional order.

Governance, Conflict, Crisis, Coup d'État

In this interview, Prof. Fatoumata Hane examines Senegal’s deep social and institutional crisis, characterized by a growing disconnect between institutions and the population. She highlights weak governance marked by impunity, lack of accountability, and restrictions on fundamental rights, which have widened the gap between citizens and the state. Youth issues are central, as public policies often treat young people as a homogeneous group, failing to address diverse aspirations in employment, education, and civic engagement—contributing to migration and instrumentalized political participation. Regarding women, she stresses that numerical parity does not ensure meaningful political inclusion, as women remain largely confined to mobilization roles. In education, she advocates for the decolonization of knowledge, criticizing a Eurocentric model that fuels inequality and unemployment. Ultimately, she calls for a refoundation of the state, prioritizing inclusive governance, health, education, youth empowerment, and the rebuilding of shared national values.

Governance, Youth, Women, Institution

This article examines the challenges facing environmental protection in Guinea’s mining sector, despite the existence of a relatively robust legal framework. Rich in mineral resources, Guinea has liberalized its mining sector since the early 1990s under the influence of international financial institutions. The 2011 Mining Code, inspired by ECOWAS regional standards, includes environmental obligations throughout the mining lifecycle, including environmental impact assessments, pollution prevention, waste management, and site rehabilitation and closure. However, the author highlights significant implementation gaps. Limited transparency, reinforced by the confidentiality of environmental information held by mining companies, restricts access to information and weakens accountability. Guinea’s progress under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) remains modest. The article argues for stronger enforcement of international standards, such as those of the IFC, OECD, and the United Nations Global Compact, to promote more responsible environmental governance in the mining sector.

Political party, Governance, Environment, Natural ressources, Transparency