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West Africa

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Definitions of West Africa are more consistent than those for other African regions, with 16 countries, all but Mauritania being members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The first column below includes AfricaFocus Bulletins on Ghana and Nigeria. The second column includes other West African countries. For background links on all countries, including those not yet covered in AfricaFocus Bulletin, visit the countries page.

Nigeria and Ghana

   October 23, 2020   Nigeria: A New Generation Steps Up
   February 11, 2019   Nigeria: Many Candidates, Few Alternatives
   August 15, 2018   West Africa/Europe: From Cocoa to Chocolate
   February 26, 2018   Nigeria/Global: Promising Potential for Solar Mini-Grids
   May 24, 2017   Nigeria: Corruption Undercuts Boko Haram Fight
   October 18, 2016   Ghana: New Debt Trap
   April 27, 2016   Nigeria: Shapes of Violence, 1
   April 27, 2016   Nigeria: Shapes of Violence, 2
   September 14, 2015   West Africa: Tax Giveaway Follies
   January 13, 2015   Nigeria: Elections/Security Disconnect
   December 1, 2014   USA/Nigeria: Uneasy Alliance
   June 9, 2014   Nigeria: Beyond the Hashtag Debates
   April 7, 2014   Nigeria: Security Forces and Insecurity
   March 25, 2014   Nigeria: Corruption & Its International Partners
   February 26, 2014   Africa: Tracking Toxic Pollution
   October 27, 2013   Nigeria: Cycle of Violence in Northeast
   June 5, 2013   Nigeria: Counterproductive Counterterrorism
   Apr 11, 2013   Nigeria: #Offshoreleaks
   Nov  5, 2012   Nigeria: "Security" Forces Escalate Insecurity
   Jun 20, 2012   USA/Africa: Reject "Terrorist" Designation for Boko Haram
   Jun  1, 2012   USA/Africa: Rising Pressures for Militarization
   Aug 12, 2011   Nigeria: Past Time for Oil Cleanup, 1
   Aug 12, 2011   Nigeria: Past Time for Oil Cleanup, 2
   Mar 18, 2011   Nigeria: Can Elections be Fair?
   Dec 14, 2010   USA/Africa: Wikileaks Highlights, 1
   Oct 19, 2010   Nigeria: Enabling Corporate Crime
   Oct  3, 2010   South Africa: Media Matters
   Jun  5, 2010   USA/Nigeria: By Way of Comparison
   Mar  5, 2010   Nigeria: New Human Development Report
   Mar  5, 2010   Nigeria: Reforming Shell?
   Oct 29, 2009   Africa: Climate Change and Natural Resources
   Jul 10, 2009   USA/Africa: Obama in Ghana, What Kind of Change?
   Jun 12, 2009   Nigeria: Midterm Results Disappoint
   Jun 12, 2009   Nigeria: Delta Violence Past & Present
   Apr 14, 2009   USA/Nigeria: Halliburton Fallout
   Jan  13 2009   Ghana: Political Kudos
   Jan  13 2009   Ghana: Economic Challenges
   Oct 31, 2008   USA/Nigeria: Chevron on Trial
   Jul 16, 2008   Nigeria: Curse of the Black Gold
   Feb 26, 2008   Nigeria: Prison System Report
   Aug 14, 2007   Nigeria: AIDS Advice Available
   Aug  1, 2007   USA/Africa: Questioning AFRICOM, 2
   May 14, 2007   Nigeria: Election Aftermath
   May 14, 2007   Nigeria: Fair and Square?
   Aug 13, 2006   Nigeria: Swamps of Insurgency
   Nov 13, 2005   Nigeria: Delta Oil & Human Rights
   Oct 27, 2005   Nigeria: Debt Deal Views
   Oct  3, 2005   Africa: Whose Energy Future?
   Jul  5, 2005   Ghana: Playing Chicken
   Mar 29, 2005   Ghana: Medical Skills Drain
   Jan 26, 2005   Nigeria: Human Rights Report Released
   Dec 19, 2004   Ghana: Election Commentary
   Sep 22, 2004   Nigeria: Shari'a Manipulation
   Dec 18, 2003   Nigeria: Oil and Violence

West Africa (other countries)

   January 19, 2022   USA/Africa: Bronx Fire Devastates Gambian Community
   March 22, 2021   Sahel: Questioning Counterterrorism?
   August 15, 2018   West Africa/Europe: From Cocoa to Chocolate
   June 4, 2018   West Africa/Global: Tax Evasion without Borders
   November 13, 2017   USA/Sahel: Questions Asked, Unasked, Half-Answered
   May  8, 2017   Africa: World Bank Financing Land Grabs
   March 28, 2017   Liberia: Mining, Displacement, and the World Bank
   December 6, 2016   Gambia: Sudden Hope in a Small Country
   October 4, 2016   West Africa/Europe: Toxic Fuels for African Markets
   Jun  2, 2016   Liberia/Global: Financial Secrecy at Work
   December 1, 2015   Africa/Global: Changing "the Media"
   September 14, 2015   West Africa: Tax Giveaway Follies
   May 11, 2015   West Africa: Ebola Down But Not Out
   January 26, 2015   Burkina Faso: Hopes for New Beginnings
   September 10, 2014   West Africa: Ebola Response Scale-Up Urgent, Uncertain
   April 17, 2014   Mali: Polls Show Turn to Optimism
   Mar 26, 2013   Mali: Listening without Drones
   Jan 15, 2013   Mali: No End to Conflict in Sight
   Oct 15, 2012   Mali: No Shortcuts to Security
   Oct 12, 2012   West Africa: Toxic Waste, Failed Accountability
   Jul 31, 2012   Mali: Warnings against Escalation
   Jun  7, 2012   West Africa: Sahel Food Crisis
   Feb 23, 2012   Senegal: Democracy or Gerontocracy?
   Jun 14, 2011   Guinea-Bissau: Drug Trade in Broader Context
   Jun 10, 2011   Cote d'Ivoire: No War, but No Security
   Apr 27, 2011   Senegal: Music to Fight Malaria
   Feb 28, 2011   Cote d'Ivoire: Crisis Facts & Debates
   Feb 28, 2011   Côte d'Ivoire: Human Rights Reports
   Feb  1, 2011   Equatorial Guinea: Oil but No Rights, 2
   Feb  1, 2011   Equatorial Guinea: Oil but No Rights, 1
   Nov  4, 2010   Côte d'Ivoire: A Big Step Forward
   Aug  6, 2010   Africa: Migrant Rights Updates
   Oct 23, 2009   Guinea (Conakry): More than an Inquiry?
   Aug 18, 2009   Cape Verde: Transnational Archipelago
   Jul 28, 2008   Guinea-Bissau: In Need of a State
   Jan 17, 2008   Liberia: Firestone Challenge Advances
   Sep  3, 2007   Sahel: Beyond Any Drought
   Aug  1, 2007   USA/Africa: Questioning AFRICOM, 1
   Feb 18, 2007   Guinea (Conakry): State of Siege
   Feb  9, 2007   Liberia: Debt Cancellation Overdue
   Jan 31, 2007   Guinea (Conakry): Status Quo Continued
   Dec  7, 2006   Africa: Balancing Act Internet News
   Jun 27, 2006   Gambia: Defending Press Freedom
   Apr  9, 2006   Benin: Democratic Succession
   Mar 19, 2006   Liberia: Johnson Sirleaf in New York, Washington
   Oct 10, 2005   Liberia: Elections Necessary, Not Enough
   Jul 22, 2005   Niger: Background to Famine
   Feb 28, 2005   Togo: Peer Pressure Plus
   Dec 12, 2004   Liberia-Sierra Leone: Consolidating Peace?
   Nov 16, 2004   Côte d'Ivoire: Containing the Crisis?
   Nov 16, 2004   West Africa: Humanitarian Appeal
   Sep 16, 2004   West Africa: Locust Invasion
   Aug  5, 2004   Côte d'Ivoire: Peacekeeping Continued
   Jul 28, 2004   USA/Africa: Oil and Transparency
   Apr 27, 2004   Africa: Learning to Survive
   Nov 12, 2003   Liberia: Peace Process Implementation
   Nov  4, 2003   Senegal: Debt and Destruction