This study analyzes Early Warning Systems (EWS) in West Africa and their role in preventing and managing security, social, and climate-related crises. Based on field research conducted in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Togo with 120 key stakeholders, it examines the ECOWARN regional network as well as national and community-based mechanisms. The report highlights the importance of multilateral cooperation, rapid information circulation, and coordination between local, national, and regional levels. It also identifies persistent governance challenges, data-sharing constraints, and the diversity of system users. The gradual integration of artificial intelligence into data analysis emerges as a key innovation to enhance anticipation and response capacities. Overall, the interconnection of EWS strengthens regional resilience and reinforces West African multilateralism in the face of complex and evolving risks.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Security, Education, Gold, Human security, Information, Donnée, water

This article analyzes the evolution of Malian civil society within the political transition initiated in 2020. Amid profound institutional reforms, the dissolution of political parties in 2025, and a perceived shrinking of civic space, civil society faces a strategic turning point. The study provides a typological mapping of actors (human rights organizations, youth movements, women’s associations, trade unions, religious organizations, think tanks, and diaspora groups) and examines their contribution to state refoundation reforms. It highlights tensions between collaboration and autonomy, support for transitional authorities and counter-power functions. The article also emphasizes major structural challenges: dependency on external funding, organizational weaknesses, internal fragmentation, and political ambiguities. Despite these constraints, civil society remains a key actor in social cohesion and civic participation. The analysis concludes that its future will depend on its adaptability, financial resilience, and ability to clarify its democratic positioning.

Politics, Political party, State, Natural ressources, Security, Justice, Education, Gold, Social, Civil Society

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

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 Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin for Niger (October–November 2025) highlights a generally favorable situation for pastoral households at the end of the rainy season. Pasture availability is assessed as good to very good across most monitored areas, supported by above-average vegetation cover. Surface water resources remain largely sufficient for livestock watering, despite localized shortages, notably in Gouré and Tchintabaraden. Livestock body condition is overall satisfactory, reflecting these favorable environmental conditions. From an economic perspective, rising livestock prices combined with a generalized decline in cereal prices have improved livestock-to-cereal terms of trade, benefiting herders in most regions. However, the bulletin also reports a slight deterioration in the security context, characterized by increased livestock theft, intercommunal conflicts, and armed incidents in certain areas. As the transhumance period approaches, these security challenges may heighten tensions around natural resource access and pose risks to pastoral livelihoods.

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

The Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin of Senegal – October–November 2025 (No. 43) assesses pastoral conditions at the end of the rainy season and the onset of the cool dry season. It highlights a generally satisfactory availability of pasture and water resources in central, southern and eastern Senegal, contrasted with persistent fodder deficits in the northern regions (Saint-Louis, Louga, Matam). Bush fires, particularly widespread in Matam, Tambacounda and Kaffrine, have negatively affected vegetation regeneration. While the body condition of small ruminants remains largely good, that of large ruminants shows localized deterioration in deficit areas. Market analysis shows rising livestock prices, but persistently high cereal prices, especially rice, have resulted in unfavourable terms of trade for many pastoral households, notably in northern and eastern zones. The bulletin also stresses the limited and uneven support to the pastoral sector, calling for increased vigilance and better-targeted interventions to reduce vulnerabilities.

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

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 Pastoral Surveillance Bulletin of Mauritania No. 36 examines agropastoral conditions during October–November 2025, a transition period between the rainy season and the dry season. Overall, pasture availability remains satisfactory in monitored areas (Hodh Chargui, Guidimakha, Brakna, and Gorgol), despite the gradual drying up of temporary water sources and an increase in bushfires, which threaten rangeland sustainability. Livestock body condition is generally good, although suspected animal diseases persist, prompting the launch of the 2025–2026 national livestock vaccination campaign. Markets remain supplied, but high cereal prices continue to limit favorable terms of trade for pastoral households. The bulletin also highlights growing pressure linked to the continuous arrival of Malian refugees, particularly in eastern Mauritania, increasing competition over natural resources and heightening the risk of social tensions.

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