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26 Apr 2018

ECOWAS promotes peaceful cross-border transhumance

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Cross-border co-operation

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On 26 April, ECOWAS and the government of Nigeria held a high-level meeting on pastoralism and cross-border transhumance in Abuja. The conference brought together ministers of security and agriculture/animal resources from ECOWAS countries, Cameroon, Chad, Mauritania and the Central African Republic. Their goal was to find lasting solutions to the escalating conflicts between herders and farmers in the ECOWAS zone and in other regions. Read on

28 Mar 2018

The United Nations refocuses its support for the Sahel

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Democracy & Peace

Development co-operation

Resilience

Sahara-Sahel

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The United Nations has reset its action plan to address the root causes of the complex crisis in the Sahel. The new UN Support Plan for the Sahel will cover the period 2018-22. During a strategic consultative meeting on the Sahel, held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 28 March 2018, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed announced five key priorities. Read on

23 Mar 2018

ECOWAS regional radio in Monrovia

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As the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is set to withdraw from that country, the UN transferred its radio station to ECOWAS on 23 March. The radio station will promote regional integration, contribute to the education of the West African people and create awareness of ECOWAS programmes and its Vision 2020. Read on

23 Mar 2018

Mali – four months ahead of presidential elections

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This is a must read for anybody who would like to understand the issues at stake in Mali’s next presidential election, which are set for 29 July 2018. Joseph Brunet-Jailly, an economist and Mali expert, analyses the state of play in Malian politics. The prospects are far from encouraging. Mali is in a catastrophic situation: the Algiers Peace Agreement has become void, the opposition is divided and the forthcoming presidential election will probably change nothing. Read on

21 Mar 2018

SWAC webinar: Wars and Conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel

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On 21 March, the SWAC Secretariat organised its first webinar drawing on key findings from the West African paper No. 10, “Wars and Conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel.” Some 70 policy-makers, experts and partners participated in the online debate. Read on

07 Mar 2018

Sierra Leone: tight presidential election

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Sierra Leone

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Democracy & Peace

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Some 2.7 million Sierra Leoneans cast their ballots in the 2018 general elections on 7 March to choose a new president, a new parliament and new local council representatives. Sixteen candidates competed for the presidency, including Foreign Minister Samura Kamara who was the candidate of the ruling All People’s Congress (42% of votes) and the main opposition candidate Julius Maada Bio (43% of votes). Read on

02 Mar 2018

Burkina Faso: “One attack too many”

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In this article published by a Burkinabe online platform, Newton Ahmend Barry, president of the country’s independent National Electoral Commission, analyses the double attack that took place on 2 March in Ouagadougou. “We are wrong to believe that France or the G5 Sahel will solve our problems. No people in the world has ever been rescued by another people,” Barry wrote. Read on

12 Feb 2018

Sirleaf wins 2017 African Leadership Award

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Liberia

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Democracy & Peace

Gender

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Less than one month after handing over power to George Weah, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has already found a new job as “ambassador” for Liberia in the world. On 12 February, she was granted the 2017 Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, in recognition for her efforts to rebuild her country following two civil wars. Read on

06 Feb 2018

G5 Sahel calls for international support

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The five presidents from G5 Sahel countries met on 6 February in Niamey, Niger at the 4th ordinary session of the Heads of State Conference. Discussions focused on ensuring sustainable funding for the recently launched G5 Sahel Joint Force. G5 leaders already approved its operational set-up, the creation of a dedicated trust fund, the creation of a regional police academy in Chad and a G5 Sahel Defence College in Mauritania. Read on

06 Feb 2018

The G5 Sahel and its joint force

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Cross-border co-operation

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On 16 February 2014, the heads of state of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger met in Nouakchott to create the G5 Sahel, a regional body designed to co-ordinate strategies and policies on defence, security, governance, infrastructure and resilience in the Sahel. The G5 Sahel officially launched its joint force at an extraordinary summit on 2 July 2017. There is still a significant budget shortfall to make the force fully operational. Mobilising the necessary troops that will make up the joint force battalions is yet another challenge. Read on

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Democracy & Peace

ECOWAS promotes peaceful cross-border transhumance

The United Nations refocuses its support for the Sahel

ECOWAS regional radio in Monrovia

Mali – four months ahead of presidential elections

SWAC webinar: Wars and Conflicts in the Sahara-Sahel

Sierra Leone: tight presidential election

Burkina Faso: “One attack too many”

Sirleaf wins 2017 African Leadership Award

G5 Sahel calls for international support

The G5 Sahel and its joint force

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