Beneath the Apparent State of Affairs: Stability in Ghana and Benin

In this paper published by the Netherlands Institute of International Relations "Clingendael", ICCT Associate Fellow Peter Knoope and Research Fellow Dr. Grégory Chauzal explore the specific ways Ghanaian and Beninese actors are dealing with politics, identity and societal stress, in response to the crisis in the Sahel (from Mali to southern Tunisia and Libya) and the regionalisation of Boko Haram's activities as far as the Lake Chad basin (Niger, Cameroon and Chad). They also identify the influence of external actors, from both the region and beyond, and the potential spill over of nearby conflicts. This research was motivated by the question of a potential broadening of the "arc of crisis" to stable countries, including Ghana and Benin, and can be considered as an early warning. What is urgently needed is early action.

Read the full paper.

Photo © Peter Knoope