A snapshot of Africa’s security trends in 2024 illustrates the cumulative impact of unresolved conflicts, violent extremist insurgencies, authoritarian external actors seeking to exert influence, and natural disasters. Collectively, these trends highlight the growing pressures on the management capacities of affected countries and regions and the widening divide between stable and unstable regions.
Violence by Islamist groups in the Sahel
Violent events and deaths involving militant Islamist groups remain at record levels in 2024, the result of record levels of violence recorded in the Sahel. More than half of the attacks by militant Islamist groups in Africa occurred in the Sahel in 2024, and reported deaths there have tripled since 2020 to around 11,000. Groups such as the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) coalition and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara have stepped up their attacks and, as they push south and west, they are gaining control over more territory in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Violence against civilians by junta security forces and their paramilitary partners, including Russia’s Africa Corps, has also increased. The number of attacks on civilians by these security actors increased by 76 percent between 2022 and 2024 (from approximately 230 to 400 attacks). Over the past three years, these forces have killed approximately 4,740 people. This year, Sahelian military juntas and their allied militias killed more civilians (2,430) than militant Islamist groups (2,050).
Violence against civilians by junta security forces and their paramilitary partners, including Russia’s Africa Corps, has also increased. The number of attacks on civilians by these security actors increased by 76 percent between 2022 and 2024 (from approximately 230 to 400 attacks). Over the past three years, these forces have killed approximately 4,740 people. This year, Sahelian military juntas and their allied militias killed more civilians (2,430) than militant Islamist groups (2,050).
The coastal countries of West Africa are experiencing spillover violence from the Sahelian countries. More than 500 violent events occurred within 50 km of their borders in 2024, compared to only 50 in 2020.
Forced displacement in Africa and its growing crisis
The number of forcibly displaced Africans has increased for the thirteenth consecutive year, surpassing 45 million people; a 14% increase from last year. 14 of the 15 countries with the largest number of forcibly displaced people are in conflict.
With 3% of its total population forcibly displaced, Africa has both the highest proportion and absolute number of forcibly displaced people of any other major region in the world.
The forcibly displaced population in Africa has doubled since 2018. Three-quarters of these individuals (34.5 million) are displaced within their own countries. Africa now hosts more than 48% of the world’s internally displaced people (IDPs).
For more information :
- https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portail:Afrique
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa
- https://africacenter.org/
- https://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/
- https://etudes-africaines.cnrs.fr/
- https://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/
- https://www.afdb.org/fr/documents-publications/economic-perspectives-en-afrique-2024
