Sahel

The objective of this Report – the outcome of a consultative project conducted in collaboration with external experts and research institutes – is to reflect on the major trends that will orient Africa’s future looking ahead towards 2025, and to identify the factors which are likely to have the most far-reaching impact on Africa’s economic, political and security trajectory.

The number of popular protests in Africa has increased significantly since the mid-2000s, reaching its peak in recent years. To what extent can this surge challenge sitting governments or even be the harbinger of broader social and political change on the continent?

The growing consumer market for illicit substances in Europe also poses challenges for West Africa. This Alert shows how its optimal geographical location is turning it into a hotbed for smuggling networks operating out of Latin America.

Niger is increasingly becoming a major hub for drugs and arms smuggling in the Sahel region, as well as for clandestine migration across the desert, into Libya, and eventually Europe. Can Niger block these irregular migration and smuggling routes – and if so, will it?