In this interview, Dr. Oumoul Khairy Coulibaly Tandiang, a researcher at the École Supérieure d’Économie Appliquée (ESEA), emphasizes that Senegal's priority is to address social, economic, and territorial inequalities. She highlights the urgent need for reforms, particularly revising the Family Code to eliminate discriminatory articles against women, such as those concerning paternity recognition and child marriage. She also stresses the importance of improving women's access to land, noting their significant role in agricultural production. Furthermore, she discusses migration issues, advocating for approaches grounded in African realities rather than Western perceptions. Finally, she calls for better distribution of public services, reduction in the cost of living, and improved road safety to ensure collective well-being.

Migration, Inequality, Women, REAL ESTATE, Réforme, Services publics

The IFRI article (September 2022) examines the increasing fragility of African states, particularly in the Sahel, marked by hybrid governance where the state shares or even relinquishes its sovereign functions to non-state actors. This situation stems from the state's declining prominence in providing essential public services, such as education and security, now managed by private or community organizations. This involuntary delegation reflects a "de-administration" of peripheral and rural areas, indicating the state's inability to maintain authority across its entire territory. The article highlights the implications of this hybrid governance for development actors, especially those involved in state reconstruction, and calls for a thorough reflection on strategies to strengthen state presence and effectiveness in these regions.

Governance, Services publics

According to an Afrobarometer survey published in August 2023, Mauritanians consider education (42%), health (42%), and poverty (40%) as the main problems that the government must address. More than half of citizens (55%) have sought health care in the past 12 months, while 33% have used public education services. Access to education is considered easy by 80% of respondents, but access to medical care is divided (51% easy versus 49% difficult). Corruption remains an obstacle, with 43% of users having paid bribes to obtain identity documents, and around 30% to access health, police, or education services. Citizens express general dissatisfaction with government performance in maintaining infrastructure and providing basic services, including health, education, and drinking water.

Bribery, Education, Public Administration, Poverty, Health, Services publics

In this op-ed published on March 15, 2023, Jean‑Pierre Olivier de Sardan questions the effectiveness of security strategies in the Sahel. Jihadism is spreading not only in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, but also into northern regions of coastal countries like Benin, Ghana, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire . Where state authority has collapsed, jihadist groups have imposed a “de facto government” based on extortion, propaganda, and terror. He notes that military responses, including Operation Barkhane, have failed to halts their expansion . Instead, he advocates for a comprehensive approach: strengthening public services, restoring a protective state, offering alternatives for jihadist defectors, engaging in negotiations with moderate insurgents, and supporting rural development and humanitarian aid. The core argument stresses the need for people‑centered security rather than a standalone military focus.

Governance, Security, Jihad, Services publics