West Africa

CIR’s work in West Africa focuses on the use of open-source research techniques as a means to generate new insights into conflict dynamics and threats to stability and human rights in data-challenged environments.

CIR’s work in West Africa explores how remote monitoring tools, combined with human expertise, can be used to better understand the local and regional conflict dynamics and threats to stability. We focus on the interaction between dynamics including climate change, conflict actors, violent extremism, potential human rights violations, and political, security, and humanitarian developments. 

We also monitor online and offline hate speech, and shifts in the information environment. We identify patterns of malign influence operations that may impact local perceptions and responses, including activity targeting minority groups.

The organisation’s work follows CIR’s methodology of independent collection, analysis, cross-referencing, and verification of data. In environments where internet connectivity and access to online data is limited, such as in this region, we must consider what adaptations to open-source methods are needed.