This policy brief examines the consequences of the withdrawal of USAID from migration-related activities in Mauritania in 2025. Although USAID was not the country’s largest donor, its exit weakened several key programmes supporting youth resilience, social cohesion, refugee protection and food security. The sudden suspension of funding led to the interruption of flagship projects such as Nafoore and Tamkeen, with significant impacts on local NGOs, UN agencies and municipalities, particularly in migration hotspots like Hodh El Chargui. The analysis highlights that USAID’s withdrawal occurred alongside strengthened European migration control policies, increasing the risk of human rights violations against migrants. While other donors (European Union, KOICA, Italian cooperation) have partially filled the gap, coordination remains limited and fragmented. The policy brief calls for diversification of funding sources, stronger national institutional capacities, and an integrated migration–development–protection approach to ensure the sustainability of migration governance and support mechanisms in Mauritania.

Economic Development, Migration, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Education, Gold, Human security, Social, Funding

This multisectoral surveillance bulletin examines the humanitarian, agro-pastoral, health, nutrition, and security situation in the regions of Tombouctou and Taoudénni in Mali for October–November 2025. It highlights the continuation of rice harvesting and the completion of rain-fed crops, generally assessed as satisfactory despite input shortages and localized drought-related losses. Rising water levels of the Niger River have improved pastoral resources but temporarily disrupted road infrastructure and reduced fishing production. From a security perspective, reported incidents have declined; however, persistent pressure from armed groups—including access restrictions and zakat collection—has led to significant internal displacement. Food security remains fragile, with projections indicating a sharp increase in populations facing crisis levels of food insecurity in 2026. Nutritional conditions have deteriorated, particularly in Tombouctou, where cases of global acute malnutrition have risen. This situation is exacerbated by infectious diseases, malaria, and low household purchasing power, underscoring the need for strengthened humanitarian and social protection interventions.

Culture, Power, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Family, Food security, Gold, Malnutrition, water

The article examines China’s strategy to dominate Africa’s critical minerals sector, which is vital for defense technologies, energy transition, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Through long-term investments, China now controls more than half of global critical mineral production and about 87% of global refining capacity. In Africa, this dominance is built on the acquisition of strategic mines, control of key infrastructure—ports, railways, and energy—through the Belt and Road Initiative, and resource-backed financing agreements. This vertically integrated approach constrains African countries’ ability to move up the value chain and deepens their economic dependence. The article also highlights the environmental, social, and political risks linked to Chinese mining practices, illustrated by major pollution scandals in several African countries. In response, some African governments are pursuing greater mineral sovereignty through export restrictions, regional industrial zones, and local processing policies, aiming to capture more value from their natural resources and reduce structural dependency.

Politics, Political party, State, Sovereignty, Natural ressources, Justice, Gold, Influence, Private sector, Civil Society, Information

The article assesses progress and remaining challenges in the implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, a long-term strategic framework aimed at building an integrated, prosperous, peaceful, and globally influential Africa by 2063. Organized around seven core aspirations, the Agenda is operationalized through ten-year implementation plans and flagship projects such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the Single African Air Transport Market, the African passport, and a continental high-speed rail network. The first ten-year plan (2014-2023) indicates that Africa has achieved slightly more than half of its targets, particularly in infrastructure development, economic integration, digital connectivity, and visa reforms. However, significant obstacles remain, including persistent financing gaps, uneven national implementation, regional insecurity, and limited institutional capacity. The article emphasizes that the long-term success of Agenda 2063 depends on stronger domestic resource mobilization, improved governance, and, critically, greater ownership by African citizens and the diaspora.

Politics, Political party, Economic Development, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Development, Gold, Human security, water

The report demonstrates a sharp deterioration of Mali’s security situation since the military junta seized power in 2020. Violence by militant Islamist groups has surged and now covers every region, including areas close to Bamako. Maps throughout the report (pp. 1–4) show the rapid geographic expansion of attacks. In 2023, Mali is on track to exceed 1,000 violent events, nearly triple the level recorded when the junta took power. Focused on consolidating its rule, the junta alienated regional and international security partners and demanded the withdrawal of the 15,000-strong UN mission (MINUSMA), pushing northern Mali to the brink of renewed civil war. The arrival of Russia-linked Wagner forces has worsened abuses, with more than 320 human rights violations documented. In the center and south, FLM, JNIM, and ISGS have strengthened their operations. State authority is collapsing as civilians face escalating attacks, instability, and governance breakdown.

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

The article examines why Senegal’s democracy endured despite a major institutional crisis surrounding the postponement of the 2024 presidential election. When President Macky Sall cancelled the February vote, citing institutional conflict, civil society, opposition actors, and the Constitutional Council played decisive roles in protecting the rule of law. Despite political pressure, the judiciary invalidated the postponement, demonstrating its independence. At the same time, broad civic mobilization—including activists, scholars, journalists, and religious groups—demanded adherence to the constitutional electoral timeline. This combination of judicial firmness and collective citizen action enabled the organization of the March 24 election and a peaceful transition to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The article argues that Senegal’s resilience stems from a long-standing tradition of civic engagement, institutional dialogue, and public defense of democratic checks and balances.

Politics, Political party, Power, State, Natural ressources, Justice, Election, Gold, Social, Medias

According to the 13 October 2025 report, this study examines the political, social and technological dimensions of civil registration systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania, and Chad. It highlights civil registration as a core infrastructure of citizenship, enabling access to rights but also functioning as a mechanism of exclusion. The report details the “social life of documents,” showing how identity papers are used strategically, how administrative inequalities persist, and how bureaucratic violence at service counters reinforces marginalisation. It also warns against the politicisation of civil registry systems, especially when civil registration, nationality, and elections become entangled. The study analyses the rise of biometric technologies, which promise efficiency but create new vulnerabilities, including surveillance risks and technological dependency. Finally, it outlines reform pathways: depoliticising civil registration, expanding citizen access, increasing transparency, fostering universal inclusion, and strengthening digital sovereignty.

Politics, Political party, State, Governance, Natural ressources, Justice, Gold, Public Administration, Social, Inclusion, Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), water, Biometrics, Identity

The article examines the expansion of Jama’at Nasrat al Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) into western and southern Mali, marked by seven coordinated attacks launched by the Macina Liberation Front (FLM) on July 1, 2025. These operations targeted Kayes and Nioro du Sahel—two strategic economic and religious hubs—opening a new front far from the group’s traditional strongholds in central and northern Mali. JNIM’s strategy aims to isolate Bamako by attacking key trade routes, fuel convoys, and industrial sites, causing shortages, rising prices, and severe disruption of commercial activity. Despite strengthened military checkpoints, ambushes continue, resulting in kidnappings, destroyed tankers, and population displacement toward Senegal and Mauritania. The FLM’s growing reach, combined with the junta’s increasing political repression and its break with international security partners, deepens Mali’s fragmentation and heightens risks for neighboring coastal states.

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

The Pastoral Monitoring Bulletin for Niger (August–September 2025) highlights an overall positive outlook for herders. Favorable rainfall significantly improved pasture and water availability, resulting in good livestock body condition. Livestock prices rose while cereal prices declined, improving the terms of trade for pastoral households.

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