Other documents that may interest you :

• Journal article / Governance,

  Brothers in Arms? Vigilantism and Ambivalent State Responses in West Africa” 28/10/2025

  Summary :

  This article adopts a state-centred lens to examine how governments engage with vigilante groups within hybrid security governance in West Africa. Dra...

  Read more

  Country : Burkina Faso , Ghana , Liberia

  Organizations : African Security (Taylor & Francis)
  Follow
Journal article / Governance,
Brothers in Arms? Vigilantism and Ambivalent State Responses in West Africa” 28/10/2025
Summary :
This article adopts a state-centred lens to examine how governments engage with vigilante groups within hybrid security governance in West Africa. Drawing on Liberia, Ghana, and Burkina Faso, it shows that “ambivalence” is the norm. In Liberia, local co-operation with vigilantes supplements weak policing but triggers fears of partisan intimidation. In Ghana, the 2019 Vigilantism Act bans such groups, yet they persist through rebranding, informal party ties, and selective incorporation into state security. In Burkina Faso, the state formalized vigilantes via the Volunteers for the Defence of the Homeland (VDP), boosting counter-insurgency reach while heightening risks to civilians and social cohesion. The core claim is that regime-survival logics no less than state capacityshape whether authorities tolerate, ban, co-opt, or sponsor vigilantism. Consequently, boundaries between formal and informal security provision blur, producing mixed outcomes for public safety and state legitimacy.
Keywords :
Governance, Security, Social cohesion, Institution
Organizations :
African Security (Taylor & Francis)
Follow
• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Inclusion, Security and human rights,

  Cameroon: Calming Water-Related Struggles in the Far North 07/10/2025

  Summary :

  The article “Cameroon: Calming Water-Related Struggles in the Far North” (International Crisis Group, April 2024) examines how climate change, recurre...

  Read more

  Country : Cameroon

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Inclusion, Security and human rights,
Cameroon: Calming Water-Related Struggles in the Far North 07/10/2025
Summary :
The article “Cameroon: Calming Water-Related Struggles in the Far North” (International Crisis Group, April 2024) examines how climate change, recurrent droughts, and demographic pressure intensify tensions among communities (herders, fishermen, farmers) in Cameroon’s Far North region. In 2021, several deadly clashes occurred over contested water access points. The report calls for stronger local water governance mechanisms, promotion of co-management agreements, investment in water infrastructure, and improved intercommunity dialogue. It emphasizes the need for an inclusive approach that addresses climate vulnerabilities and social inequalities to prevent escalating violence.
Keywords :
Governance, Climate change, Security, Conflict, Terrorism, water
Organizations :
WATHI
Follow
• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Resilience,

  The Resurgence of the Boko Haram Conflict in Cameroon: Issues, Perspectives, and Recommendations 15/10/2025

  Summary :

  The article examines the resurgence of the Boko Haram conflict in Cameroon’s Far North region, despite governmental and regional cooperation efforts. ...

  Read more

  Country : Cameroon , Nigeria

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Resilience,
The Resurgence of the Boko Haram Conflict in Cameroon: Issues, Perspectives, and Recommendations 15/10/2025
Summary :
The article examines the resurgence of the Boko Haram conflict in Cameroon’s Far North region, despite governmental and regional cooperation efforts. It outlines the group’s historical penetration and expansion since 2009–2014 in the border area with Nigeria, describes the evolving tactics (guerrilla warfare, suicide bombings, improvised explosive devices, kidnappings), and highlights its embedding within informal networks and smuggling routes. The socio-economic toll is severe: disruption of agriculture and trade, population displacement, abandonment of schools and health centers, and rising intercommunity tensions. The authors warn that the conflict could endure: overcrowded prisons, the politicization or transformation of vigilance committees into militias, and continuous influxes of Nigerian refugees pose real threats to regional stability. Their recommendations focus on improving governance, strengthening cross-border cooperation, enhancing local resilience, and pursuing de-escalation strategies in the security domain.
Keywords :
Politics, Governance, Boundary, Security, Radicalisation
Organizations :
WATHI
Follow
• Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Security and human rights,

  Under Pressure: The Challenges of the Security Sector in Côte d’Ivoire 15/10/2025

  Summary :

  The article analyzes the pressures and challenges facing Côte d’Ivoire’s security sector in the post-conflict period, tracing the transition from stat...

  Read more

  Country : Ivory Coste

  Organizations : WATHI
  Follow
Academic analysis and Think Tank / Governance, Security and human rights,
Under Pressure: The Challenges of the Security Sector in Côte d’Ivoire 15/10/2025
Summary :
The article analyzes the pressures and challenges facing Côte d’Ivoire’s security sector in the post-conflict period, tracing the transition from state withdrawal toward renewed state control over security. It points out that while the “return of the State” was prioritized, the Security Sector Reform (SSR) reflects a significant gap between formal policies and real practices, since power dynamics continue to shape outcomes. The 2017 mutinies (in January and May) served as a catalyst for accelerated reforms, but questions remain about their sustainability. The army continues to be affected by extractive practices, militaro-economic networks, and insubordination, particularly among integrated ex-rebels. The article argues for viewing reforms politically rather than purely technically, stressing the need to build trust with communities, strengthen civil oversight, and responsibly integrate former combatants into institutional frameworks.
Keywords :
Governance, Security, Institution, Réforme, Groupes armés
Organizations :
WATHI
Follow