Read in
The security crisis in West Africa, driven by the presence of jihadist groups in the region, is a major concern for the affected states, the safety of local populations, as well as for France and Europe.
Originating in Mali during the early 2000s, the crisis escalated significantly in 2012 when jihadist factions seized control of the country’s northern regions. Since then, these groups have expanded their influence, initially to Niger and Burkina Faso within the Sahel, and later to northern regions of the Gulf of Guinea’s coastal countries. Other countries are in a vulnerable position and could be subject to attacks in the medium term, such as Mauritania and Senegal. Similarly, while Nigeria and Chad may seem somewhat removed from the security crisis, they share similar issues and interconnected challenges. Thus, this crisis is no longer limited to the Sahel and now affects the broader West African region.
In light of this situation, what role can France and Europe play? The announcement of the end of Operation Barkhane in November 2022 has triggered a reevaluation of France’s strategy in West Africa. This report aims to put forward a renewed perspective by proposing a novel approach: a targeted policy centered on economic cooperation involving both the public and private sectors, along with international donors. This work is based on a year-long research effort, over 80 interviews, workshops, and a field study.
Economic Marginalization: a Source of Instability and Insecurity
Understanding the underlying causes of the jihadist threat is crucial in order to effectively address the deteriorating security situation in West Africa. These causes are multifaceted: religious factors, political instability, intracommunal tensions… Therefore, relying solely on a military response is insufficient to address the crisis affecting the region.
The economic marginalization of rural populations was identified as a significant cause for the expansion of jihadist groups. This marginalization is particularly evident in areas which are predominantly rural and distant from the more stable and prosperous capital cities. These regions have become fertile recruiting grounds for jihadists, capitalizing on the absence and weakness of state authority.
Therefore, the region’s stability is intricately tied to issues of food security and economic and social development in rural areas. For instance, in Benin, the school enrollment rate is around 95% in Cotonou but drops to 25% in the rural north, where the jihadist threat is expanding.
Agriculture: a Critical Sector to Invest In
Structuring the West African agricultural sector has emerged as a priority to address the economic marginalization of rural populations in the long term. Agriculture not only contributes significantly to poverty reduction but also represents the main source of income for 80% of the rural population in West Africa.
However, the agricultural sector faces a range of challenges and barriers. Despite abundant resource potential in terms of water, sunlight, and arable land, the majority of African countries still heavily rely on food imports. Moreover, between 30 and 50% of agricultural production is lost during the stages of production, processing, and transportation.
Efforts to modernize the West African agricultural sector are also hindered by a lack of adequate financing and investments. Public development aid has fallen from 17% in the 1980s to a mere 3.8% today. Additionally, a closer look at the allocation of commercial loans in 2016 reveals that out of $14 billion, only $660 million were allocated to agriculture.
12 Recommendations for an Impactful Economic Cooperation Policy
A strong collective commitment from French and West African public authorities, international financial institutions, and French and European companies is crucial to effectively structure the agricultural sector and tackle the development and security challenges in West Africa.
This report outlines twelve recommendations aimed at establishing an ambitious and impactful economic cooperation policy. It also proposes two concrete and easily replicable projects at the regional level: the National Schools with a Regional Focus (École nationale à vocation régionale or ENVR) in agriculture and integrated cooperatives.
Pillar 1: Structure the West African agricultural sector by implementing a stable land tenure policy,
Recommendation 1: Stabilize the legal framework for land tenure through certification and cadastral surveys, regulatory changes and international technical support.
Recommendation 2: Increase the productivity of agricultural inputs by implementing a targeted development and distribution policy. This approach should encompass research initiatives, commercial distribution channels, certification regulations and region-specific experiments.
Recommendation 3: Promote local industrial processing of agricultural raw materials in specific sectors, fostered by partnerships with French and European companies. Highlight the potential of local free trade zones, public subsidies and infrastructures to enhance the value of production.
The integrated cooperative model, which possesses the necessary critical mass to promote financing and seamless integration into the value chain, appears exceptionally well-suited to the requirements.
Pillar 2: Build up the required infrastructure and skills to increase the value of agricultural efforts
Recommendation 4: Focus efforts on water and energy, and particularly on irrigation infrastructure and farm electrification using decentralized solar technologies.
Recommendation 5: Enable national and international distribution of products by developing regional transport infrastructure and logistics chains.
Recommendation 6: Strategically enhance expertise within the agricultural sector by prioritizing agronomy in French cooperation policy.
The agricultural model of the École nationale à vocation régionale (ENVR), which promotes scientific cooperation, training and experimentation, seems well-positioned to help address these skills challenges.
Pillar 3: Adapt public and private financing to the needs of the agricultural sector
Recommendation 7: Attract sustainable private investments in the agricultural sector by promoting the emergence of national and local agricultural banks and investment companies. Foster these initiatives through public-private partnerships that provide guarantees against risk.
Recommendation 8: Incorporate part of the diaspora’s financial remittances into agricultural investment through appropriate money transfer conversion solutions.
Recommendation 9: Focus official development assistance (ODA; public donors) on agricultural production, at a minimum level of 0.1% of French GNI by 2025 and 0.2% by 2030 for the relevant countries, in order to have an undiluted impact.
Recommendation 10: Assist these countries in improving tax collection through innovative administrative practices, directing funds toward long-term agricultural development, and progressively formalizing the informal sector into the legal economy.
Pillar 4: Incentivize foreign companies to invest in the agricultural sector and catalyze the economic potential of the subcontinent
Recommendation 11: Pursue the professionalization of the business environment to secure long-term investments, aligning with the G20’s Compact with Africa initiative, while ensuring application of quality and operational standards in international funders’ regional project calls.
Recommendation 12: Encourage sustainable investment from French companies in the West African zone through a dedicated export policy focused on agro-industrial investments, fostering private partnerships between French and African companies.