West and Central Africa: Latest events at a glance (4 - 10 March 2025)

Sahel
Sahel, global epicentre of violence
The Sahel now accounts for 51 per cent of all deaths related to armed violence in 2024, with 3,885 deaths out of a global total of 7,555, according to the Global Terror Index (GTI). While global fatalities have declined from a peak of 11,000 in 2015, the Sahel’s toll has surged nearly tenfold since 2019, as non-state armed groups expand their control in strategic border regions. In some areas, armed groups have more than doubled their territorial influence by capitalizing on political instability. Illicit economies, including kidnapping, cattle theft, and drug trafficking, continue to fuel their operations. The report warns of a growing spillover into coastal West African states, with Togo recording the highest number of attacks and deaths since monitoring began.

Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ongoing cholera outbreak in Uvira and Ruzizi
On 9 March, health authorities reported 242 cholera cases and 10 deaths in the Ruzizi and Uvira health zones over the past week. The Cholera Treatment Centre in Ruzizi is running out of supplies, and the continuing influx of patients is worsening the situation. The outbreak is spreading within the community, affecting both military personnel and civilians. Humanitarian partners have launched interventions but face significant challenges in delivering supplies due to insecurity along the main transport routes. Urgent negotiations are needed to establish humanitarian access.

Mali
Humanitarian access challenges persist
In 2024, insecurity continued to hinder humanitarian access, with Segou, Bandiagara, and Mopti regions most affected. The presence of improvised explosive devices remained a major constraint, with 301 incidents recorded, up from 249 in 2023, accounting for 52 per cent of all access constraints. Violence against humanitarian workers decreased from 87 incidents in 2023 to 58 in 2024. While no aid workers were killed, seven were kidnapped, a 50 per cent decrease from 2023. Incidents related to military operations also decreased from 209 to 162. The start of 2025 remains concerning, with 79 access incidents reported in January – double the number in December and well above the monthly average for 2024 of 48. However, in Lere, in the north, the blockade imposed in November was lifted on 3 March, easing restrictions on movement.

Central African Republic
Attacks cause displacement in Ouham-Pendé
On 7 March, an attack by armed men on the localities of Gbamboro and Yaho, 45 km from Bozoum, northwest of the country, forced 3,000 people to flee to Baoro, with more than a dozen houses burned. Two days earlier, a similar attack in the same region had already displaced 3,000 people and destroyed homes. A multisectoral assessment conducted under the Rapid Response Mechanism identified urgent needs, particularly in protection, food security, water, hygiene, and sanitation.