Africa: West Africa's Democratic Tipping Point?

ABEOKUTA/MUNICH/FREETOWN/LILONGWE – The decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election, made just hours before polls were due to open, has raised fears about the… Read more »

Africa: Money in Politics - A Threat to African Democracies

“If you political analysts, do not help us, political actors, to find a solution to the problem posed by the need for more and more enormous financial resources to make… Read more »

West Africa: Overcoming Stigma to Promote Inclusiveness of Drug Users in Senegal

Throughout several working class neighborhoods in Dakar you find large semi-finished houses that are occasionally equipped with running water and electricity. The rooms in these… Read more »

West Africa: Democracy in West Africa - Between fragile progress, hopes, and fears

“…I would like to tell my fellow presidents from other countries that power alternation are inevitable in Africa and in West Africa…”. This statement by… Read more »

Sierra Leone: Why Natural Resource Governance should take centre stage in Sierra Leone's 2018 Elections

In a country with less than 5% original forest cover remaining, it should be scandalous that logging still happens on a grand scale. But government has been decidedly indecisive. Read more »

Mali: 2018 Presidential Elections - A Step Towards the Consolidation of Peace in Mali?

A turning point that marked Mali’s return to a democracy following the 2012 crisis was the presidential elections held in July 28th, 2013. Five years later, the main… Read more »

West Africa: Money in Politics - a Threat to African Democracies

"If you political analysts, do not help us, political actors, to find a solution to the problem posed by the need for more and more enormous financial resources to make politics,… Read more »

Mali: 2018 Presidential elections: A step towards the consolidation of peace in Mali?

A turning point that marked Mali’s return to a democracy following the 2012 crisis was the presidential elections held in July 28th, 2013. Five years later, the main… Read more »

Africa: Open Society Foundations Announce Summer 2018 New Executives Fund Recipients

NEW YORK—Eight newly appointed leaders of nonprofit organizations, in countries ranging from the United States to Senegal, have been awarded New Executives Fund grants to… Read more »

Sierra Leone: Land, the Environment, and Elections - Why Natural Resource Governance Should Take Centre Stage in Sierra Leone's 2018 Elections

The ancient ford truck belched black smoke on the highway as it laboured with its heavy load towards Freetown. Chunks of rough-hewn tree trunks overflowed its wagon. A dirty, red… Read more »

West Africa: Echoes From Across the River

The wave of institutionalization of democracy through regular elections in Sub-Saharan Africa has intensified over the last two decades.[1] Read more »

Liberia: 'No Real Winners in Corruption' - Children's Book Adapted for Stage

In a recently released video of Gbagba: The Stage Play, a diminutive, eight-year-old Liberian child actor proclaims, “In gbagba or corruption, there are never any real… Read more »

Senegal: Building Community Support for Drug Users Using Mobile Cinemas

Waves of dialogue in West Africa on drug policy reform with the ultimate goal of decriminalizing drug use and possession for personal use have been making headway. Progress is… Read more »

Liberia: Nation's Season of Hope

Jay peered at me from the burglary proofed window of Lango Lippaye Public School. You could feel his excitement. It was a non-school day because of the elections. The adults were… Read more »

Ghana: 3rd West Africa Executive Course On Human Rights and Drug Policy [invitation to Apply]

The University of Ghana School of Law, in collaboration with the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program and Open Society Initiative for West Africa, is inviting applications from… Read more »