Mouvement national de libération de l’Azawad – Fact Sheet (Julia Dufour)

The activities of various types of armed groups in West Africa represent a tremendous threat to the region’s stability, and hence require our utmost attention. These groups use violence for multiple purposes: religious fundamentalism, rebellion against the state, separatism... This datasheet considers the MNLA, one of the most active among them. It aims to provide information about the historical and ideological foundations of this Malian separatist movement, active since the beginning of 2012. It focuses on its complex structural organization and its goals. The most recent actions of this armed group are listed as well as its armament and its operation zone. This datasheet is part of a series of fact sheets published by the GRIP on armed groups in West Africa.

Ivory Coast and instability in West Africa : roots of the post-election crisis 2010-2011 (Marc Mémier et Michel Luntumbue)

The conflict in Ivory Coast after the Ivorian presidential election of November 28, 2010 is not a new or surprising phenomenon. It follows a decade of crisis which finds its origin in various internal causes, crystallized around the concept of “ivority”. Moreover, these internal tensions were exacerbated by an unstable regional context. This study on the origins of the Ivorian conflict is complemented by a report on the impacts of the Ivorian crisis.