OECD/SWAC: Roads and Conflicts in North and West Africa

The Sahel and West Africa are at a crossroads, facing mounting challenges that test governance, development and regional unity. Rising terrorist violence, the spread of armed groups and political instability have shaken the region, leaving states and communities grappling within security and uncertainty. Addressing these complex issues requires more than surface-level solutions—it demands nuanced, data-driven insights that help decision makers navigate an interconnected and ever-evolving landscape. Recognizing this need, in 2022, Ministers of the Coalition for the Sahel called for a broader perspective—one that extends beyond the Sahel to encompass North, Central and West Africa. They emphasized the importance of an expanded vision to address systemic challenges that cut across local, national and regional levels. This need has only grown more urgent as rising global instability disrupts regional and multilateral frameworks in the Sahel. These shifts reinforce the need for sustained monitoring and analysis of the evolving set of transnational and crosscutting issues that threaten stability across the region.This report, Roads and Conflicts in North and West Africa, takes up that challenge by examining how transport networks influence violence,governance and resilience. Roads, railways and ports play a critical role in enabling the movement of people and goods, facilitating economic activity, and connecting communities. Yet these same networks often become battlegrounds, targeted by insurgent groups seeking to destabilize states, isolate communities and expand their influence.