Background In early March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit West Africa. In response, countries in the region quickly set up crisis management committees and implemented drastic measures to stem the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The objective of this article is to analyse the epidemiological evolution of COVID-19 in seven Francophone West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal) as well as the public health measures decided upon during the first 7 months of the pandemic. Methods Our method is based on quantitative and qualitative data from the pooling of information from a COVID-19 data platform and collected by a network of interdisciplinary collaborators present in the seven countries. Descriptive and spatial analyses of quantitative epidemiological data, as well as content analyses of qualitative data on public measures and management committees were performed. Results Attack rates (October 2020) for COVID-19 have ranged from 20 per 100,000 inhabitants (Benin) to more than 94 per 100,000 inhabitants (Senegal). All these countries reacted quickly to the crisis, in some cases before the first reported infection, and implemented public measures in a relatively homogeneous manner. None of the countries implemented country-wide lockdowns, but some implemented partial or local containment measures. At the end of June 2020, countries began to lift certain restrictive measures, sometimes under pressure from the general population or from certain economic sectors. Conclusion Much research on COVID-19 remains to be conducted in West Africa to better understand the dynamics of the pandemic, and to further examine the state responses to ensure their appropriateness and adaptation to the national contexts.

Background: In early March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit West Africa. Countries in the region quickly set up crisis management committees and organised drastic measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus. The objective of this article is to analyse the epidemiological evolution of COVID-19 in seven Francophone West African countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal) as well as the public health measures decided upon during the first four months of the pandemic. Methods: Our method is based on quantitative and qualitative data from the pooling of information from a COVID-19 data platform and collected by a network of interdisciplinary collaborators present in the seven countries. Descriptive and spatial analyses of quantitative epidemiological data and content analyses of qualitative data on public measures and management committees were performed. Results: Attack rates for COVID-19 range from less than 10 per 100,000 inhabitants (Benin) to more than 45 per 100,000 inhabitants (Guinea). The spatio-temporal analysis shows three phases of incidence clusters. By the end of June 2020, case numbers had plateaued in some countries (Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali) while others continued to see the number of infections increasing (Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal). The countries all reacted quickly to the crisis, in some cases before the first reported infection, and implemented public measures in a relatively homogeneous manner. None of the countries implemented country-wide lockdowns, but in some cases implemented partial or local containment measures. At the end of June 2020, countries began to lift certain restrictive measures, sometimes under pressure from the general population or from certain economic sectors. All the countries have adopted response plans and organized multiple crisis management committees, although their content and functioning have not always been transparent or easy to understand. Conclusion: Much research remains to be done in West Africa. It will be necessary to better understand the dynamics of the pandemic, which appears to be largely under control, as well as the effectiveness and implementation of the state responses, which have been rapidly formulated.

To cite this version:Florence Boyer. Croissance urbaine, statut migratoire et choix résidentiels des ouagalais : vers une insertion urbaine ségrégée ?. Revue Tiers Monde, Armand Colin, 2010, pp.47-64.

Espace de circulation entre le nord et le sud du Sahara, le Niger est devenu à partir de la fin des années 2000 le principal point de passage pour les migrants ouest-africains en partance vers l’Algérie, la Libye, voire l’Europe. Outre cette position de passage, il est aussi un espace de départ pour des migrants circulaires en quête d’une activité temporaire en Afrique du Nord ou de l’Ouest. Cette position particulière, ainsi que l’instabilité qui prévaut en Libye depuis 2011, a contribué à faire du Niger un pays clé pour la politique d’externalisation européenne qui s’est mise en place à partir de sommet de La Valette en 2015. En quelques années, les interventions des acteurs européens et internationaux (OIM, HCR) ont conduit à la mise en œuvre de dispositifs qui s’articulent autour de la sécurité, du développement et de la protection. Ainsi, le contrôle des frontières et des déplacements d’une part, les projets visant à stabiliser les populations d’autre part et enfin la construction d’un espace de protection au Niger contribuent à faire de ce pays un espace de contention et de blocage pour les personnes en déplacement.

Cet article est disponible en ligne à l'adresse : http://www.cairn.info/article.php?ID_REVUE=CEA&ID_NUMPUBLIE=CEA_179&ID_ARTICLE=CEA_179_0771 L'esclavage chez les Touaregs de Bankilaré au miroir des migrations circulaires par Florence BOYER | Editions de l'EHESS | Cahiers d'études africaines 2005/3-4-179