Gilles Olakounlé Yabi

Gilles Olakounlé Yabi is west Africa project director of the International Crisis Group. He was formerly a journalist for Jeune Afrique magazine, and an independent researcher and consultant in the fields of conflict analysis, peacekeeping operations and political governance in west Africa

Mali's crisis: pitfalls and pathways

A short-lived military coup in Mali highlights the complex crisis unfolding in the country's north, where armed groups and religious networks are active among a disaffected Tuareg population. Both immediate measures and an intelligent medium-term strategy are needed to preserve the nation's unity

By Gilles Olakounlé Yabi

/ 18 Apr 2012

Liberia: the post-election challenges

The years of conflict in Liberia have left a heavy legacy and ensured that the return to democracy has been bumpy. This makes both major internal reform and international support for the west African state vital, says Gilles Olakounlé Yabi.

By Gilles Olakounlé Yabi

/ 10 Oct 2011

Guinea: a state of suspension

The Republic of Guinea rarely finds itself in the global media headlines. Its west African neighbours Liberia and Sierra Leone are better known, largely for their tragic, decade-long civil wars

By Gilles Olakounlé Yabi

/ 28 Feb 2007