Reflections on Politics in the Sahel
I have been studying politics in the Sahel since 2007. Below, I’m compiling stuff I have written or said, alone or with colleagues, on the Sahel in various media. I share day-to-day thoughts and relevant links on Twitter. Academic publications are available on Academia (not updated anymore: it used to be cool, but now it’s not) and ResearchGate. Media contributions or reports below appear in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent on top). NB: I am happy to share gated pieces if you ask kindly in the comments section. Last update: 10 June 2024
27 May 2024. Presentation in Sweden on EU engagement with AES countries
23 May 2024. I comment on calls among Tuareg separatists to initiate a rapprochement with jihadis
20 April 2024. I comment on Niamey’s decision to get rid of US troops from Niger
1 March 2024. I talk about research methods in conflict zones at this seminar
March 2024. Amnesty International interviewed me on the situation of civilians during wartime in the Sahel
https://www.amnesty.ch/fr/sur-amnesty/publications/magazine-amnesty/2024-1/sous-pressions
29 Jan 2024. I comment on the withdrawal of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso from the ECOWAS in Le Temps
Jan 2024. I have a short chapter in this document about what is coming next in the Sahel in 2024
Jan 2024. I’m cited in this Monde Diplo’s piece on the demise of Tuareg separatists from the Kidal stronghold in Mali (English then French)
20 Dec 2023. Long itw with Polish Television on the security situation in the Sahel
29 Nov 2023. I joined a panel at the French National Assembly discussing French interventionism in the Sahel
24 Nov 2023. Wagner troops raised their own flag in Kidal. I explain what it suggests
19 Nov 2023. I co-signed a text asking France to revisit its African policy
15 Nov 2023. AFP is quoting me on the fall of Kidal (FR then ENG versions)
14 Nov 2023. On Wagner’s crucial role in the fall of Kidal
9 Nov 2023. I joined this terrific radio show on the difficulty of collecting evidence in war zones
7 Nov 2023. I did a podcast on the almost ten years of UN peacekeeping in Mali
3 Nov 2023. Reuters interviewed me for a piece on the Malian army’s return to Kidal coinciding with MINUSMA’s withdrawal
27 Oct 2023. I was an invited professor at Sc Po Grenoble for a week of teaching on Politics and Conflicts in Africa
25 Sep 2023. I’m quoted in an AFP piece on the consequence of the coup in Niger for French diplomacy
1 Sep 2023. Cited in Le Monde Diplomatique on the “coup epidemic” in the Sahel
31 Aug 2023. On the French reaction to the coup in Niger
25 Aug 2023. Nina Wilen and I wrote a piece on the coup in Niger (English version followed by French version)
25 Aug 2023. I have a few quotes on how the death of Prigozhin is unlikely to change drastically Wagner’s operations in the Sahel
22 Aug 2023. Long interview in La Croix on similarities and dissimilarities between coups in the Sahel
11 Aug 2023. Interview in Le Monde on the politics of ethnicity and regionalism in Niger
10 Aug 2023. I had a long and very enjoyable live interview with Julie Gacon on France Culture on the Niger coup
7 Aug 2023. Quotes in the Economist on ECOWAS plans to dislodge the putschists in Niger
7 Aug 2023. Some of my tweets were picked by the Tribune de Genève but I don’t know which ones because the article is gated 🤷♀️
5 Aug 2023. I co-authored a text against military intervention in Niger with colleagues
4 Aug 2023. What does the coup in Niger say about French diplomacy in the Sahel? Quotes in Libération
2 Aug 2023. Why is one of the putschists from Niger traveling Bamako? Audio interview for RFI
31 July 2023. Mondafrique interviewed me for a piece on the governance of the Islamic State in the Sahel
27 July 2023. Some immediate thoughts following the coup in Niger for Mediapart
25 July 2023. Had a long interview on MINUSMA’s withdrawal from Mali in Tama Media
24 July 2023. Human Rights Watch quoted me in its release on the atrocities perpetrated by Wagner and the army in Mali
12 July 2023. Libération interviewed me about IS-Sahel’s strategy to impose its order to populations
30 June 2023. I answered De Standaard’s questions about the withdrawal of MINUSMA from Mali
27 June 2023. Quote in Le Temps on the fallout of the Wagner mutiny in Africa
26 June 2023. I was live on BBC to talk about the fallout of the Wagner mutiny in Africa
24 June 2023. Reuters asked me questions about the consequences in Mali of the Prigozhin/Putin feud
18 June 2023. Quotes in a Reuters piece on Mali’s decision to withdraw its consent for MINUSMA’s operations on its soil
17 June 2023. Mali wants to oust MINUSMA. Some comments for RFI
25 Apr 2023. Long interview with Studio Kalangou — a fantastic network of radio stations committed to local and accurate information in Niger. The first segment is on the importance of independent information in times of war; the second one (8'38") details the findings of the report written with Ferdaous Bouhlel on interactions between civilians and jihadists in Mali and Niger
18 Apr 2023. I had a lovely exchange with the wonderful HumAngle team (podcast), which also reviewed the report that Ferdaous Bouhlel and I authored in a previous article
2 Apr 2023. Ferdaous Bouhlel and I have a long new piece out on interactions between civilians and jihadists in Mali and Niger. Find below a Twitter thread in French that summarises the findings of the report, which is in English. The URL of the report is at the end of the thread.
See also:
28 Feb 2023. On the reconfiguration of French military forces in West Africa. Some quotes in the Globe & Mail
22 Feb 2023. I contributed to an issue of the “Bulletin FrancoPaix” on the aftermath of the French withdrawal from Mali. My focus is on MINUSMA
8 Feb 2023. Long interview in Libération about coups and fast political sea changes in the Sahel. It’s been an absolute honour to have so much space in the newspaper
3 Dec 2022. Open discussion on the transformation of West African armies, for Mediapart
30 Nov 2022. Overview of the drivers of the Sahel crisis, for the podcast Doomsday Watch
29 Nov 2022. I’m interviewed in this Swedish Television show on the drivers of jihadist expansion in the Sahel
23 Nov 2022. Comment for AFP on Malian authorities’ ban on NGO activities financed by France (ENG and FR)
22 Nov 2022. My former colleague Phil Cunliffe offered me the chance to talk at length about the French intervention in the Sahel
18 Nov 2022. Quick comment for AFP on the withdrawal of MINUSMA contingents from Mali and the conundrum of Troop Contributing Countries
19 Oct 2022. At the UNSC, Mali’s Minister of Foreign Affairs accused France of arming terrorist groups
18 Oct 2022. A quick comment on the Mali-Uganda plans for military cooperation
7 Oct 2022. An interview on the coup in Burkina Faso for the AFP podcast
5 Oct 2022. A panel organised by ISPI on foreign interventionism in the Sahel, with wonderful colleagues
4 Oct 2022. An interview for Slate about the alleged Russian influence behind the coup in Burkina Faso
1 Oct 2022. Some of my tweets about the coup in Burkina Faso have been picked by AFP
30 Sep 2022. Lara Riachi, a former Conflict student at BSIS, and I have written a literature review on MINUSMA for the Dutch government which is now out
21 Sep 2022. A thread I wrote on summary killings of civilians by the Malian army + Wagner in Central Mali has been picked by AFP (article in English, French and Twitter thread below)
15 Sep 2022. BBC’s The Inquiry asked me about the reasons behind the end of France’s military intervention in Mali
12 Aug 2022. The Germans suspend the activities of their military in Mali. Some quotes in a Politico article
5 Aug 2022. Delina Goxho and I write on Europe’s fear-driven and problematic Sahel politics
2 Aug 2002. Lamine Savané and I have a long read in Afrique XXI which tries to unpack what the post-May 2021 regime in Mali is made of
29 July 2022. I have a couple of quotes in this intriguing news piece by Geoffrey York
3 June 2022. Remotely Sahel-related. I was at a conference organised by WIDER in Helsinki, discussing four excellent papers on rebel governance
13 May 2022. Had a chat with La Presse about the way Wagner mercenaries in Mali are changing the dynamic of the conflict
28 Apr 2022. I’m interviewed by France Culture on the deteriorating political climate between France and Mali
23 Apr 2022. A thread I wrote on twitter on information warfare between France and Mali is cited by L’Express
22 Apr 2022. I wrote a review of a great new book on Operation Serval for Afrique XXI
3–4 Apr 2022. An unprecedented massacre of civilians has been allegedly carried out by the Malian army and the Wagner Group in the locality of Mourah over five days in late March 2022. I shared thoughts with the Globe and Mail and the New-York Times
14 Feb 2022. Insomnia has made me write the following on how scholarly expertise has (not) informed French interventionism in the Sahel
14 Feb 2022. Multiple quotes in this story by Pierre Alonso tracing the origins of Barkhane’s failure, as the French military retreat from Mali
2 Feb 2022. TV debate on LN24, to talk about coups and enduring political crisis in the Sahel. Podcast version below. Video version available here
22 Jan 2022. Interview with Swedish national radio, as part of a long report on the foreign intervention in Mali
10 Jan 2022. I am quoted by AFP on international sanctions against Mali’s junta
30 Nov 2021. I’m commenting briefly on the anti-French protests in the Sahel for AFP (in French then English)
26 Nov 2021. Offering some background to the protests against the passage of a French military convoy in Burkina Faso
25 Nov 2021. A piece on the anti-French sentiment across the Sahel which quotes me
29 Oct 2021. I am quoted on how JNIM may capitalise on conflictual social stratification in western Mali
26 Oct 2021. Debate on dialogue with jihadis with Jean-Hervé Jézequel and Thomas Gassilloud
10 Oct 2021. Dakaractu interviewed me about the bitter diplomacy between France and Mali
22 Sep 2021. Thoughts on military cooperation between France and the US in the Sahel
16 Sep 2021. Itw on RFI about the announcement by French authorities of Abu Walid al-Sahrawi’s killing by Barkhane
8 Sep 2021. Got a couple of quotes in this great long read by Neil Munshi in the FT
7 Sep 2021. More Afghanistan / Mali comparison. For RTS
31 Aug 2021. Another discussion on the Sahel/Afghanistan comparison. The comparison has flourished in the media after the fall of Kabul and annoyed several Sahelian friends and colleagues. But I think that some parallels can be cautiously drawn, particularly when it comes to the logic of foreign interventionism
22 Aug 2021. Some personal thoughts among others’ thoughts about the parallels to draw or not to draw between the Sahel and Afghanistan, with a focus on the French intervention
18 Aug 2021. Some personal thoughts among others’ thoughts about the parallels to draw or not to draw between the Sahel and Afghanistan
16 June 2021. The New Humanitarian is publishing an impressive investigation on civilians mistakenly killed by France in counterterrorism operations in Mali. I have been interviewed among other specialists
10 June 2021. I shared thoughts with Mediapart’s journalist Justine Brabant on the announcement to reconfigure Frenc Operation Barkhane
29 May 2021. Long interview on the “coup in the coup” in Bamako and its possible consequences
27 May 2021. Troubles in Bamako may cause more troubles in the rest of the country. Interview with Amaury Hauchard for AFP
26 May 2021. Another coup in Mali, in the middle of a political transition provoked by an earlier coup
22 Apr 2021. Various bits of an interview with AFP on the regional impact of Chad President Idris Déby’s death have been integrated into several international media reports. NB: I am not a Chad specialist. I am just reflecting on the international ramifications of Déby’s death here
6 Apr 2021. Interview for Middle East Eye on the alleged French “bavure” in Bounti, Mali and counterterrorism in the Sahel more broadly
25 Feb 2021. Long interview with a fantastic new Algerian media
20 Feb 2021. I had a long chat with Antun Katalenić for my first ever interview for a media in Slovenia
31 Jan 2021. A long interview on the French intervention in the Sahel, with Justine Brabant and Niagale Bagayoko
10 Dec 2020. Here’s a great investigation by Mediapart on the astonishingly careless social media activity among French soldiers deployed abroad (notably in the Sahel). I provide a bit of background on how this material can be exploited
10 Nov 2020. I’ve been interviewed by the NYT for a piece about former Mali’s President Amadou Toumani Touré, who died on Nov, 9th
12 Oct 2020. France Inter invited me to discuss the implications of the release of international hostages in Mali
10 Oct 2020. I was invited to debate on the political crisis in the Sahel along with Cyril Bensimon (Le Monde Afrique), Célian Macé (Libération) and Claude Guibal (France Inter) as part of a beautifully organised public event at the Prix Bayeux
23 Sep 2020. I’ve been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal for a piece about European involvement in securitising the Sahel
22 Sep 2020. Mali has a new president to lead the transition. He has been appointed by the junta. I’ve shared a few thoughts with Al Jazeera
13 Sep 2020. I explain how France has shaped Mali’s political landscape, making President IBK face a dillema between French demands and popular aspirations
31 Aug 2020. Some thoughts put together by Tania Smirnova, Anne Roussel and myself on how humanitarians work with state and non-state armed actors in Mali and Niger (in French and English)
25 Aug 2020. Nice, long radio conversation about the political situation in the Sahel and the role of France. I enjoy this format much more than quick commentary asked when something bad happens
25 Aug 2020. There was a coup in Mali on 18 Aug. Ibrahim Boubakar Keita has been deposed and replaced by a junta. I had an interview with Associated Press to discuss what it means for France
19 Aug 2020. A brief comment on the origins of the coup in Mali for Libération
11 Aug 2020. Interview on the French reaction to the killing of aid workers and on the French military presence in the Sahel more broadly
11 Aug 2020. Some broad reflections on the security and political situation in the Sahel, following the killing of aid workers on Aug, 9th. Long excerpts were read out by RFI’s Africa press review on Aug, 17th
11 Aug 2020. Some reflections on humanitarian access in the Sahel, following the killing of aid workers on Aug, 9th
11 Aug 2020. I have a quote in this Le Monde paper offering background to the killing of aid workers and park ranger that occurred in Niger on Aug, 9th
10 Aug 2020. I have a quote in this AFP paper offering background to the killing of aid workers and park ranger that occurred in Niger on Aug, 9th (French then English versions below)
10 July 2020. Here is a mini twitter thread on a paper of mine that is just out. It deals with the French intervention in the Sahel…
… and here is the paper itself
4 June 2020. I was invited to talk on RFI about clashes between JNIM and ISGS, along with Wassim Nasr. I also wrote a thread on twitter as a follow-up. Also pasting a thread I posted on twitter immediately after the talk
4 June 2020. This AFP piece by Amaury Hauchard deals with the important subject of the Saharan myth among the French public… and soldiers. I shared a few thoughts with him on this aspect of the French intervention which fascinates me
2 June 2020. I have some quotes in this piece on clashes between IS and AQ in the Sahel, a new development in a region where the two groups had coexisted relatively peacefully so far
4 Mar 2020. Meeting at the French Sénat’s Commission des Affaires étrangères et de la Défense. Video below + text of my 10 min talk
14 Feb 2020. The Malian army is back in Kidal. I discuss why it is symbolically important even though it is unlikely to change anything in the local security dynamic
Feb 2020. On 8 Feb 2020, ISGS militants executed Sadou Yehia, an elderly man from Lelehoy in Mali, in front of his family. They had previously kidnapped and tortured him. Three weeks earlier, Sadou Yehia had featured in a short documentary produced by the French news channel France 24. His anonymity was not protected and his face was not blurred. Two pieces below detail the event and discuss the responsibility of France 24 in the horrendous killing of Sadou Yehia
28 Jan 2020. I was at CERI’s “Fariba Adelkhah and Roland Marchal seminar” to talk about French interventionism in the Sahel along with Romane Da Cunha Dupuy, Vincent Foucher, and Tanguy Quidelleur. Discover their talks as well as mine in the audio below
17 Dec 2019. Here’s a long interview I gave to Jean-Dominique Merchet for L’Opinion on the political viability of the French intervention in the Sahel (gated)
11 Dec 2019. I was interviewed by the BBC on what’s behind the expulsion of the MINUSMA’s head of Kidal office by Malian authorities. I discovered when listening to the replay that I’m a “she” (“Yvonne”, you know). OK, why not but the BBC could have done their homework. Itw starts at 6'18
8 Dec 2019. I’m cited in this portrait of JNIM leader Iyad Ag Ghaly by Boris Thiolay (gated)
2 Dec 2019. I was interviewed by Fernando Eichenberg for the Brazilian daily newspaper O Globo on the French intervention in the Sahel. The interview was conducted in French then translated into Portuguese. The article published in O Globo is gated but Fernando kindly shared a link from his personal page
28 Nov 2019. I shared thoughts with Philippe Chapleau of Ouest-France on the future of the French military operation Barkhane in the Sahel after the death of thirteen French soldiers in a helicopter crash in Mali. I am pasting the Tamoudre link below as Ouest-France’s link doesn’t seem to be working with Medium (if you don’t know Tamoudre yet, have a look, it’s a fantastic resource — in French)
28 Nov 2019. I wrote something mean using naughty language about French media on twitter, which was then picked by the Journal du Mali, for posterity. I have every reason to be proud to see my ideas being disseminated :)
4 Nov 2019. I talk about the French military presence in the Menaka region where a deadly ISGS attack just happened
4 Nov 2019. An interview for BBC Newsday, on the security situation in Mali. Starts at 27'
2 Nov 2019. I comment on the deadly attack against Malian troops based in Indelimane (Menaka region) on Nov, 1st
And here is the long version, kindly shared with me by Marie-Pierre Olphand:
7 Oct 2019. I joined Francis Laloupo’s “Grand Débat” on Radio Africa to discuss the latest political and security developments in Mali, and notably the role of the UN. Not sure I’ll do more live interviews as I’m doing really bad in this exercise
9 Aug 2019. Rémi Carayol offers a great piece on Mali’s use of militias for COIN purposes and security governance over the last three decades, for which I was interviewed
11 July 2019. Long interview with Rémi Carayol for Politis on security strategies in the Sahel (gated)
11 July 2019. I had a conversation with Ruth Maclean for this piece she wrote for The Guardian
11 June 2019. Long segment with BBC World Service to provide some background to the massacre of Dogons in Sobane Kou, Central Mali (itw starts at 1'30")
7 June 2019. I answered Valérie Crova’s questions as UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warns against risks of atrocities in Mali. I basically argue that atrocities are already there
29 May 2019. I’ve keenly contributed to this op-ed initiated by young Malian activists infuriated by the insane, racist portrayal of the crisis in the Sahel promoted by far-right ideologues in French mainstream media
27 May 2019. It was fun to do the interview but the result is super short and shallow. Not particularly proud :(
14 May 2019. Interview in Le Figaro (gated) on the challenges faced by the military intervention in the Sahel (the headline is not from my interview)
13 May 2019. Answering Xavier Martinet’s questions on the expansion of jihadi attacks in the Sahel, following the abduction and the eventual liberation of two French tourists in the North of Bénin
26 Mar 2019. I comment on the government of Mali’s measures to curb violence in Central Mali
25 Mar 2019. This is not immediately related to Sahel politics yet it is related to how knowledge about Sahel politics is produced. I explain why I left the editorial board of the French journal Afrique Contemporaine after the release of a special issue on Mali was suspended by the journal’s ‘owner’, the French Agency for Development.
25 Mar 2019. I share thoughts for Liberation on the darkest day of Mali’s recent history. In the Bankass district, 134 civilians from a Fulani village were killed in horrendous circumstances. We shouldn’t shy away anymore from using terms like ethnic cleansing. (Frustratingly, the transcript of the itw is not entirely accurate and is full of typos)
17 Mar 2019. I gave a bit of background on jihadi tactics in the Sahel in the wake of the deadly attack against an army base in Dioura, Mali
25 Feb 2019. Heni Nsaibia and I try to make sense of the geographical diffusion of armed jihad in the Sahel
3 Dec 2018. I have quotes in this detailed piece on Kouffa’s death by Cyril Bensimon in Le Monde [update March 2019: Kouffa’s death was considered highly plausible at the time, after it was announced certain by the French Minister of Defense and the Malian army. But Kouffa didn’t die and re-appeared in a video in early March 2019. Good lesson for anyone taking official statements for granted, me included]
30 Nov 2018. Interview for RFI, Appels sur l’Actualité, on Kouffa’s probable death and its implications (start at 11’54’’). [update March 2019: Kouffa’s death was considered highly plausible at the time, after it was announced certain by the French Minister of Defense and the Malian army. But Kouffa didn’t die and re-appeared in a video March 2019. Good lesson for anyone taking official statements for granted, me included]
28 Nov 2018. Interview for DakarActu. I answer Abdou Cisse’s questions about the implications of the French strike against Hamadoun Kouffa’s katibat. [update March 2019: Kouffa’s death was considered highly plausible at the time after it was announced certain by the French Minister of Defense and the Malian army. But Kouffa didn’t die and re-appeared in a video in March 2019. Good lesson for anyone taking official statements for granted, I included]
13 Oct 2018. Review of trends in jihadi activity in Mali, with inputs from me (two pieces in the same issue of the Journal du Mali)
17 Aug 2018. Interview for France Culture about the security challenges re-elected Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita now has to face, starting with the situation in the centre of the country (starts at 8'55")
12 Aug 2018. Interview for BBC World Service, Newshour. I provide basic background on the political crisis in Mali between the two rounds of the presidential election (starts at 14'00")
3 Aug 2018. An interview for L’Express between the two rounds of the elections in Mali
15 June 2018. UK’s Stabilisation Unit publishes a series of case studies on Elite Bargains and Political Deals in conflict contexts. Nicolas Desgrais and I wrote the Mali chapter
4 June 2018. I comment on protests which took place in Bamako on Sat 2 June ahead of the presidential elections for BBC World Service (Newsday)
25 May 2018. Baba Alfa Umar from Kisal and I answer questions about the use of local militias in counter-terrorism operations at the Mali-Niger border
4 May 2018. Itw for RFI on escalation of violence in the Menaka region (Mali) and North Tillabery (Niger)
11 April 2018. Short clip on situation in Mali, based on a lecture I gave at the European University Institute (Florence) on Tribes and Global Jihadism, organised by MEDirections on 26 February 2018
6 Mar 2018. Some background on JNIM after the attacks in Ouagadougou
21 Feb 2018. A column written with eleven other colleagues in Le Monde Afrique inviting France to revise its military strategy in the Sahel
21 Feb 2018. A debate on the Sahel crisis and the G5 Sahel on Africa n°1
17 Feb 2018. Commenting on a French strike near the Algerian border
20 Dec 2017. I was auditioned by the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence at the French Sénat. I talked and answered questions about the crisis in the Sahel and the French intervention. Here is the transcript of the talk I gave
20 Dec 2017. I was heard by the Committee for Foreign Affairs and Defence at the French Sénat. I talked and answered questions about the crisis in the Sahel and the French intervention. The whole thing is (very) summarised in the clip below. Full transcript underneath
28 Nov 2017. Comment on Macron’s discourse on French foreign policy toward Africa
15 Nov 2017. Itw with TV5 Monde Afrique on counter-terrorism in the Sahel (starts at 16'20")
2 Nov 2017. With Andrew Lebovich. On US responses after the killing of four Green Berets in Niger and local jihadi landscape. Nicely republished by The Wire
25 Oct 2017. An interview with RFI on US plans to revise their military rules of engagement in the Sahel (in French)
19 Oct 2017. An interview on recurring protests against French military presence in Kidal, Mali
14 Sep 2017. An interview on UN plans to impose sanctions on those undermining the peace process in Mali
15 Aug 2017. An interview about the French military intervention in Mali (behind paywall, sorry, Mediapart needs your financial support)
11 Aug 2017. With Mathieu Pellerin. A piece comparing the ways Niger and Mali deal with violent dissent, notably Tuareg rebellions. NB: this article synthesises a longer report for IRSEM
27 June 2017. With Ferdaous Bouhlel and Jean-Hervé Jezequel. Fake news in the desert dissected (French version)
21 June 2017. With Ferdaous Bouhlel and Jean-Hervé Jezequel. Fake news in the desert dissected (English version)
11 May 2017. On the French military intervention in Mali. Originally published in The Conversation
28 Apr 2017. Radio show on dialogue with jihadists (not the most pleasant moment in my life)
13 Mar 2017. Overview of jihadist movements in West Africa
5 Mar 2017. Reflections following creation of The Group for Support of Islam and Muslims
19 Jan 2017. After the horrible attack in Gao, Mali
13 Nov 2016. With Baba Alfa Umar. On situation in Central Mali (English Version)
12 Oct 2016. With Baba Alfa Umar. On the situation in Central Mali (French Version)
31 Aug 2016. On local peacebuilding in Mali and how multiple cleavages are entangled
20 June 2016. On the interplay between land disputes and jihad at the border between Mali and Niger
29 Mar 2016. Commentary on electoral campaign in Niger
23 Mar 2016. With Fahiraman Rodrigue Kone. On media coverage of Bassam attack and Ivorian security response (English version). Republished by Quartz Africa
21 Mar 2016. With Fahiraman Rodrigue Kone. On media coverage of Bassam attack and Ivorian security response (French version)
16 Mar 2016. I gave an interview to AFP on the recruitment of jihadi combatants
21 Dec 2015. On French military intervention in the Sahel. Originally published in The Conversation
27 Nov 2015. Itw I gave to UNHCR-Niger on situation of refugees in Niger
11 Nov 2015. Insurgencies through the Centre-Periphery lens (along with the most Saharan Englishman, Jeremy Swift)
2 Nov 2015. Can the situation in Mali improve? (question still worth asking in 2017)
14 May 2015. On peace process in Mali (went to “Décryptage” several times because Nathalie Amar is an amazing professional)
20 Feb 2015. On jihadist media strategies in West Africa. Worth watching thanks to the amazing David Thomson, not me. My worst media experience ever (behind paywall, thank God)
Dec 2014. In 2014, I did a consultancy for the World Bank programme called Sahara Knowledge Exchange. The output is a short report analysing the transformations of political violence in the Sahara, notably the shift from nationalist separatism to jihad
July 2014. Laia Balcells and I gave an interview to Dimitris Kairidis at the end of the Olympia Summer Academy
20 Jul 2014. Schooling under Rebel Rule. This is not about the Sahel but about Côte d’Ivoire. I’m using a similar framework to study the occupation of Gao in 2012 (paper not published yet). The lecture was given at the Olympia Summer Academy which any student interested in conflicts should attend once in their life
10 March 2014. I was invited at the LSE along with Imad Mesdoua to talk about Algeria’s role in the Sahelian crisis. Here’s the podcast
7 Nov 2013. On the situation in Kidal and the killing of two French journalists
June 2013. “From Tuareg Nationalism to Jihad: Changing Patterns of Militancy in the Sahara”. Talk I gave at SOAS, as part of the Mali In Transition Conference
26 Mar 2013. On French military intervention in the Sahel (during an unforgettable trip in Australia)
20 Mar 2013. On state governance and insurgencies in the Sahel
26 Feb 2013. Trying to debunk ‘ungoverned space’ bullshit (short French version)
26 Feb 2013. On militarisation of Mali and foreign presence
14 Feb 2013. Trying to debunk ‘ungoverned space’ bullshit (long English version)
15 July 2012. I strictly have no idea what this piece says but this Czech magazine looked cool and the journo who asked questions was nice
4 July 2012. Radio itw for Les Oreilles loin du Front
1 June 2012. On the short-lived rapprochement between MNLA and Ançar Dine (still hotly debated 6 years later)
2 Apr 2012. I shared thoughts with Le Monde’s Jean-Philippe Rémy
5 Feb 2012. On the early days of the new Tuareg insurgency in Mali
8 Sep 2011. With Frédéric Deycard. Why is Gadaffi revered by many in the Sahel (still true in 2018)
21 Mar 2011. Early thoughts on Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (English version)
8 Dec 2010. Radio itw for Les Oreilles loin du Front
20 Aug 2010. Early thoughts on Al Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (French version)
24 June 2008. This must be my first ever interview for the media. The one that makes you panic 24 hours ahead of the phonecall with the journo and which you proudly print out for your grandma. It was about the rebellion in Niger in 2008 and their grievances against French uranium company AREVA (now renamed ORANO)
