OECD – Roads and Conflicts in North and West Africa

The OECD West Africa and Sahel Club (SWAC) report examines the link between transport infrastructure (roads, railways, ports) and conflict dynamics in North and West Africa over a 24-year period. While these systems are vital for economic development and regional integration, they are also frequent targets of violence—especially since the rise of jihadist insurgencies and rebellions in the late 2000s. Around 70% of violent incidents and 65% of casualties occur within one kilometer of a road, with hotspots in the Central Sahel, Lake Chad Basin, and more recently, western Cameroon.