West Africa

The election of Bassirou Diomaye Faye as president of Senegal opens a new chapter in the country’s history. His landslide victory could also mark a turning point for all West Africa.

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have left ECOWAS, the regional bloc that sanctioned them after military officers seized power in each. In this Q&A, Crisis Group expert Nnamdi Obasi assesses the import of these events for West Africa’s security architecture and Nigeria’s influence therein. 

The two jihadist groups in north-eastern Nigeria have bruised each other badly in internecine fighting. But they are still a menace to civilians, both in Nigeria and in the other Lake Chad states. The governments cannot afford to shift their gaze from the militant danger.

Dans cet épisode d’Afrique 360°, Enrica Picco et Rinaldo Depagne reçoivent Gilles Yabi, fondateur et directeur exécutif du think tank WATHI, pour parler de la crise qui secoue la Communauté des Etats de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cédéao), des troubles politiques qui agitent le Sénégal et des conséquences de ces deux événements majeurs pour la stabilité de la région.

Dans cet événement en ligne, nous avons exploré les enjeux sécuritaires concernant le nord de la Côte d’Ivoire.

The Islamist militants in the Sahel have made repeated sorties into coastal West African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire. So far, Abidjan has largely repulsed their attempted advances, with a mix of security and socio-economic initiatives. It should redouble its efforts on both fronts.

This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Africa Deputy Director Pauline Bax and Sahel expert Ibrahim Yahaya Ibrahim about the southward drift of jihadists from the Sahel to coastal West Africa and what can be done in response.

Two years after the suicide of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, jihadist factions continue a battle for control of Nigeria’s north east. In this Q&A, Crisis Group assesses the situation and lays out what authorities should do in response.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be sworn in as Nigeria’s president on 29 May, following an election dogged by legal challenges. With a weaker mandate than any of his predecessors, the new leader should take steps to reunite a fractured country facing numerous other problems.