Côte d'Ivoire faces threat from potential jihadist corridor

A study by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation warns that the expansion of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) poses a significant security threat to Côte d'Ivoire. The group has been establishing itself in the forested regions of southwestern Mali since 2018, with increasing activity in northern Guinea.

The Noumoudjila forest, located at the intersection of Mali, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire, is identified as a strategic area that could facilitate a jihadist corridor for fighter movement. JNIM is reportedly exploiting poverty, community tensions, weak public services, and smuggling activities to extend its influence. Beyond military operations, the group seeks to control local economic resources, including gold mining sites, trade routes, and transhumance corridors, by imposing taxes on local populations.

Researchers have outlined three potential scenarios: a reduction of the threat through enhanced security cooperation, the consolidation of jihadist control over forested and economic zones, or the opening of a new armed front in Guinea that could lead to regional expansion.