Lead

The Senegalese capital Dakar is hosting the 10th International Forum on Peace and Security in Africa on Monday and Tuesday, an anniversary edition unfolding against major geopolitical shifts across the continent and heightened competition over its resources, according to RFI and AllAfrica reports.

The forum, launched thirteen years ago, is being held in what organisers describe as a significantly altered security environment. The G5 Sahel has been dissolved, and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has been weakened by the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Meanwhile, jihadist groups are expanding towards coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea, including Benin, Togo, and Ghana.

Around 100 experts are gathering in Dakar for the two-day event, with discussions focusing on several key themes, including the governance of natural resources. Particular attention will be paid to rare earths and critical minerals.

Coverage comparison

Both AllAfrica and RFI provided nearly identical reports on the forum, focusing on the same set of facts: the forum's timing, the altered security environment, the expansion of jihadist groups, and the resource competition. Neither outlet diverged significantly in their framing, with both adopting a neutral tone and direct attribution to experts. The overlap in content suggests a single wire report or shared source, though the reports stand independently as published by each outlet.

The only additional detail appeared in one of the reports, mentioning that the Senegalese government has revoked certain mining contracts to renegotiate terms and increase state revenues. That claim was not carried by the other source.

Key claims

According to both outlets, the G5 Sahel has been dissolved, and Ecowas has been weakened by the withdrawal of three member states. This is presented as a baseline fact in the coverage of the forum's opening.

Jihadist groups are expanding towards coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea, including Benin, Togo, and Ghana, as reported by both sources citing organisers.

On resources, the World Bank is cited by both outlets as estimating that Africa holds around 30 percent of the world's rare earth reserves, essential for clean energy technologies. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone accounts for about 70 percent of global cobalt production, according to the same source.

Solange Bandiaky-Badji, president of the Rights and Resources Initiative, told RFI that Africa has become a focal point of global geopolitical competition. She noted that Ghana, Gabon, and Côte d'Ivoire are major producers of manganese, while Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger produce uranium, adding: "Africa has suddenly become central to geopolitics because of these resources."

A separate claim, appearing in only one report, stated that the Senegalese government has revoked certain mining contracts to renegotiate terms and increase state revenues. This has not been independently verified by other sources.

Perspectives

Security analysts emphasise that the dissolution of the G5 Sahel and the weakening of Ecowas represent structural setbacks for regional cooperation, leaving a vacuum that jihadist groups are exploiting as they push southward.

Resource governance experts like Bandiaky-Badji argue that the current international interest in Africa's minerals is unprecedented, likening it to a geopolitical rush. While tensions over resources are not new—she cited oil in Nigeria's Niger Delta and longstanding gold-mining disputes—the scale and intensity today mark a clear shift, with major powers all seeking access to Africa's strategic reserves.