Multi-hazard Surveillance Tool for West African Coastal Countries: Bénin - Côte d’Ivoire - Ghana - Togo (GRANIT) (as of 30 November 2024)

Key information on the changing context (October – November 2024)

Benin: After months of tensions, the resumption of diplomatic and commercial relations between Benin and Niger is a strong signal of reconciliation. On October 16, 2024, the Beninese government approved the appointment of the Nigerien ambassador to Cotonou. This decision comes in a context marked by the resumption of oil exports between the two countries, which had previously been interrupted by Benin. Although the border remains closed on the Nigerien side, the General Directorate of Customs in Benin has authorized the transit of people and goods to and from Niger. Additionally, among the ongoing security incidents in northern Benin, there was a fire in the parking lot of a public works company involved in the construction of the Guéné - Karimama road (Alibori), a project aimed at strengthening trade and opening up the area.

Côte d’Ivoire: As the 2025 presidential elections approach, the government has launched a plan to close illegal and irregular health facilities in the country. These establishments often operate without adhering to sanitary conditions, lacking adequate equipment and trained personnel to provide certain care. By the end of October, more than 1,000 establishments had already been closed or inspected. However, the closure of these centers raises the issue of the medical void it creates for populations living far from formal health centers.

Ghana: The city of Bawku, located in the Upper East region, is experiencing a resurgence of intercommunal armed clashes that have caused more than thirty deaths between October and November. These clashes were triggered by the return of a community leader, considered by the local chieftaincy as a challenge to its authority over the area. According to the NGO Global Initiative Against Transnational and Organized Crime, the weapons used in the attacks could have come from smuggling networks active in other regions or neighboring countries, such as Burkina Faso

Togo: In northern Togo, attacks and incursions by armed groups continue, resulting in heavy civilian casualties. In early October, an incursion by an armed group on a construction site for trenches at the border with Burkina Faso caused the death of 10 civilians, including women and minors, as well as nine soldiers. Later that same month, the village of Malgbangou (Kpendjal-Ouest prefecture) was attacked at night. Among the eight victims were a group of displaced people from a neighbouring village and the person hosting them. Due to ongoing internal displacement, fields and agricultural activities in some areas are completely abandoned. According to FEWS Net, insecurity in the Savanes region significantly reduces agricultural production, making poor households atypically dependent on markets, even in this postharvest period.