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31 Jul 2018

Lomé hosts UEMOA, ECOWAS, ECCAS summits

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Economy

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The Togolese capital hosted a series of important events for West Africa’s regional organisations. UEMOA leaders met on 30 July 2018 for the 20th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government. Just after the UEMOA summit, ECOWAS leaders gathered for their 53rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government. President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria was nominated as new ECOWAS chairperson. The joint ECOWAS-ECCAS summit was held on 30 July and focused on the security situation in West and Central Africa. Heads of state adopted the Lomé Declaration to collaborate on peace, security and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in the ECOWAS-ECCWAS space. Read on

01 Jul 2018

Military expenditures in West Africa

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The level of military expenditure in West Africa varies widely between countries. Nigeria is the fourth largest military spender in Sub-Saharan Africa – after Sudan, South Africa and Angola – and is by far the biggest military power in West Africa. However, despite its continued military operations against Boko Haram, Nigeria’s military expenditures fell in 2017 for the fourth consecutive year. Chad and Côte d’Ivoire also made substantial cuts to their military spending. Read on

29 Jun 2018

Ibrahim Mayaki becomes new SWAC President

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Cross-border co-operation

Urban-rural development

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SWAC

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The Sahel and West Africa Club’s governing board, also called the Strategy and Policy Group (SPG), convened on 18-19 June 2018 for an important discussion of SWAC’s future work priorities. SWAC Members appointed Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, current Chief Executive Officer of NEPAD, as SWAC President. He will assume this function as of 1 January 2019. Read on

26 Jun 2018

Sahelian women, both central and marginal

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In his most recent article published on the Ideas4Development blog, Laurent Bossard, director of the Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat, takes a look at the paradox of Sahelian women. Despite the key socio-economic role they play in Sahelian communities, they remain marginalised and are sometimes deprived of their fundamental rights. Read on

31 May 2018

Violent extremism in the Sahara-Sahel

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Numerous extremists groups are active across the Sahara-Sahel area and in the Lake Chad region. Most are extremely mobile and operate easily across national territories because of the porous nature of national borders in the region. Their actions are being increasingly constrained by military responses launched by national governments in alliance with international partners. Read on

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

18 Apr 2018

Food security stakeholders call for action

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Agriculture & Fisheries

Food security & Nutrition

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RPCA:

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Members of the Food Crisis Prevention Network (RPCA) gathered from 16-18 April 2018 at OECD headquarters in Paris to validate the final results of the 2017-18 agro-pastoral campaign and take stock of the food and nutrition situation. The Network estimates that 7.1 million people are in need of urgent food and nutrition assistance, of which 3.7 million are in northeastern Nigeria. Read on

11 Apr 2018

Critical food and nutrition situation in the Sahelian belt

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Food security & Nutrition

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The food and nutrition situation is severely deteriorating in parts of the Sahelian belt. According to the Cadre harmonisé analysis, nearly 7.1 million people currently face a crisis situation, especially in zones that are still plagued by insecurity, including in the Lake Chad basin, the Liptako-Gourma region and central Mali. The number of people in need of assistance could reach 10.6 million by June-August 2018. Read on

31 Mar 2018

The fight against famine: a Sisyphean task

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Agriculture & Fisheries

Development co-operation

Food security & Nutrition

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The most recent issue of the Swiss Foreign Affairs Magazine Politorbis is dedicated to the fight against famine, including an article on the Sahel and West Africa region, produced by the Sahel and West Africa Club Secretariat (SWAC/OECD). It reviews the region’s progress in the fight against food insecurity over the past 30 years. By taking more co-ordinated and collective action, we can work more efficiently and have greater impact. 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

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Sahara-Sahel

Lomé hosts UEMOA, ECOWAS, ECCAS summits

Military expenditures in West Africa

Ibrahim Mayaki becomes new SWAC President

Sahelian women, both central and marginal

Violent extremism in the Sahara-Sahel

ECOWAS promotes peaceful cross-border transhumance

Food security stakeholders call for action

Critical food and nutrition situation in the Sahelian belt

The fight against famine: a Sisyphean task

The United Nations refocuses its support for the Sahel

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Finding the right role for the G5 Sahel Joint Force