Over the last few years, several researchers have challenged African statistics. Among the many examples was the article written by World Bank economist Shantayanan Devarajan in 2013, “Africa’s Statistical Tragedy.” It painted a gloomy picture of African statistics as affected by the lack of capacity of statistical institutions, an unclear administration of responsibilities, a lack of stable state funding, and the destabilising effect of donor funding. This public questioning of public statistics in Africa provoked reactions. Read on

Following the green light from the United Nations on 21 June, G5 Sahel leaders officially launched a joint military force (FC-G5S) during an extraordinary summit held on 2 July in Bamako. French President Emmanuel Macron participated in the event. He confirmed that the French would back the new force and called for its rapid and effective implementation. Read on

Of the 1 939 urban agglomerations in the Africapolis database, 290 have a market potential - total population living within 40 km of the centre of an agglomeration - of more than 2 million people. The market potential of a region is a good measure of spatial variations in economic density and can be interpreted to determine the economic attractiveness of a region. It provides an additional illustration of urban development not captured by city size alone. Read on

On Sunday, 4 June, West African leaders met in Monrovia for the 51st Summit of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). On this occasion, they commended the peace efforts of the organisation’s member states whose armed forces have intervened in The Gambia (ECOMIG) and Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB), while warning against the multiple threats to the region’s stability. During the summit, at which Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf handed over the reins to her Togolese counterpart Faure Gnassingbé, the heads of state made several strategic decisions. Read on