This Policy Brief by Sten Hagberg examines the effects of population displacement on the rapid urbanisation of secondary cities in the Sahel, focusing on Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. It discusses the strain on public services, the growth of informal settlements, shifting family and gender dynamics, and the securitisation and mistrust targeting displaced populations. Displaced persons mostly seek refuge in under-resourced regional cities. The Brief highlights political tensions around official displacement categories and promotes analysis through “practical norms” — real-life social and urban governance practices. It concludes with a call for more qualitative research to better understand these urban dynamics and support displaced populations.

Gender, Security, Political Violence, Education, Human security, Violence, Threat, Urbanisation, Soicial sciences, Knowlege production

The infographic titled “Africa’s Unprecedented Urbanization Is Reshaping Its Security Landscape”, published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in May 2025, visualizes the impact of rapid urban growth on security dynamics across the continent. By 2050, Africa’s urban population is projected to reach 1.4 billion. The infographic highlights how informal urban settlements are becoming increasingly vulnerable to organized crime, militant activity, gang violence, and rising social tensions. Urban centers like Khartoum, Goma, Bamako, and Maiduguri are emerging as key hotspots of insecurity. The document calls for urban security approaches that prioritize community-based policing, social services, and inclusive governance, warning against heavy-handed or exclusionary strategies that risk further alienating marginalized populations.

Politics, Natural ressources, Security, Conflict, Political Violence, Gold, Human security, Violence, Threat, Urbanisation

This Policy Brief analyzes how population displacements have accelerated urbanization in secondary cities across the Sahel, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. These cities, already marked by infrastructural shortcomings, face mounting pressure on housing, land use, and basic services. The massive influx of internally displaced persons (IDPs) reshapes social dynamics, especially gender roles, with displaced women often becoming heads of households under precarious conditions. “Non-loti” areas—informal settlements—emerge as default reception zones despite lacking infrastructure. Displaced populations are sometimes viewed with suspicion and associated with security threats. The study urges moving beyond institutional categories and quantitative data, advocating for deeper exploration of “practical norms” that govern urban life. It calls for empirical research to guide inclusive urban planning and better integration of displaced communities in fragile Sahelian contexts.

Politics, Political party, Natural ressources, Education, Gold, Threat, Urbanisation, Soicial sciences, Researh, Knowlege production, Internally displaced persons

In Ziguinchor, southern Senegal, urban agriculture faces challenges posed by environmental changes and population growth. This article examines, through quantitative and qualitative observations and surveys, food resilience in the face of crises such as pollution, salinity and acidification. The results indicate a degradation of agricultural and natural spaces, reflecting a vulnerability linked to urbanization and the impoverishment of ecosystems. Certain nurturing spaces, endowed with cultural or religious value, encourage their preservation. Finally, a greening of agricultural practices is respected, although these initiatives are not yet fully supported by local authorities.

Agriculture, Environment, Urbanisation

The article entitled “Revealing social vulnerability profiles for the management of urban floods: the case of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)”, written by Mwingnè Laure Carolle Da, Hugues Hangnon, Marion Amalric, Aude Nikiema, Élodie Robert and Emmanuel Bonnet, was published in 2022 in Cybergeo: European Review of Geography. It analyzes the vulnerability of the inhabitants of Ouagadougou to flooding as part of phase 2 of the Raincell Africa project. A socio-demographic survey carried out among 2,137 households made it possible, thanks to statistical analyses, to identify eight vulnerability profiles. The results indicate that the peripheral areas of the city, characterized by informal settlements, are the most vulnerable. This increased exposure is linked to sociodemographic factors such as education level, risky urbanization behaviors and poor perception of danger. These elements are crucial for improving urban flood management.

Vulnerability, Urbanisation, Floods

The World Bank’s June 2022 report on the G5 Sahel (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger) highlights that these economically fragile countries face challenges such as political instability, growing insecurity, uncontrolled urbanization, declining agricultural productivity, and a food crisis affecting millions of people. Climate change is exacerbating these vulnerabilities, increasing migration and social exclusion. However, the region has untapped assets, including a growing young population and renewable energy resources. Smart climate investments and strengthening policies and institutions could improve resilience to the impacts of climate change and avoid carbon-intensive growth. A stronger state presence is crucial to improve the quality of services, especially in the post-COVID context and in the face of supply chain disruptions due to the Russia-Ukraine crisis. A green and resilient Sahel requires accumulated commitment from states at all levels

Governance, Agriculture, Food security, Urbanisation, Crisis, Insécurité