Paulin Maurice Toupane

The Constitutional Council’s decision to overturn the postponement of presidential polls could provide a way out of the crisis.

Restoring a civilian government in Niger is important, but so too are the transitions in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea.

Extreme positions taken by all sides of the political spectrum make resolving the crisis more difficult.

But with less than two months to go, the main political parties still haven’t agreed on the electoral rules.

Stopping mercury and cyanide use is vital, but so is preserving the country’s soil, rivers and trees.

Gold mining in south-eastern Senegal could fuel the spread of violent extremism into West African littoral states.

Only integrated, mutually reinforcing responses will avoid the worst-case scenario in the gold zones.

The return to politics of certain military figures with controversial reputations is a major risk.

Without meaningful political reform, elections can’t solve the deep crisis that has paralysed the government since 2015.

Constitutional and electoral reforms are needed to prevent a new crisis after the March 2019 elections.

By focusing on the election process, voters miss out on making informed choices about the best candidate.

National cohesion is key to implementing reforms needed for stability, and to jumpstart the economy.