Issaka Ouedraogo, CEO, uses his in-depth expertise in African geopolitics and international affairs to guide companies and governments through the complexities of Sahelian risks. With a distinguished career in Swiss intelligence and legal advisory roles, he specializes in strategic foresight and resilience building for development and humanitarian programs. An accomplished researcher with dual nationality and multilingual skills, he is also a renowned speaker and lecturer at the Geneva Center for Security Policy.

Awalou Ouedraogo is a professor of international law and Director of the Human Rights and Equity Department at York University, Toronto. He holds a PhD from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and has published extensively on international law. His latest book is Due Diligence in International Law (2021). His research covers international law, human rights, migration, and state-building in Africa. A Knight of the National Order of Burkina Faso since December 2021, he is active in several scholarly associations and has participated in numerous international conferences.

Senior Director with over 25 years of international leadership experience, including 12 years as Country Director in the Sahel. After a successful career in the humanitarian and development sectors, I now act as an independent consultant and fractional advisor, helping European and African companies expand their operations and partnerships across Francophone West Africa. At Sahel Politica, I serve as Senior Advisor for Business Development and Stakeholder Engagement, supporting our mission to bridge public, private and development actors operating in complex environments. I focus on fostering strategic alliances, identifying new market opportunities, and building trust-based collaborations between SMEs, investors, and institutional partners. My expertise lies in analysing and managing risks in fragile and volatile contexts. Over the years, I have developed strong skills in adaptive management, remote coordination, and resilience-building strategies, enabling organisations to operate effectively despite uncertainty. I help decision-makers anticipate change, design flexible responses, and transform operational constraints into strategic opportunities for sustainable impact.

Abdourahmane Idrissa is a political scientist and historian based at Leiden University’s Africa Studies Centre and LASDEL in Niamey. He has extensively researched the Sahel, authoring The Politics of Islam in the Sahel and numerous articles in English and French. His focus includes the “regalian” state, democratic governance, and political Islam. He is currently writing a monograph on the Sahel during the 16th century using the Songhay Empire as a case study, and his recent fieldwork addresses the security crisis in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger.

Gérard Jean Joris Zombre is a versatile consultant at Sahel Politica, where he excels in data engineering and analysis. With a strong academic background, he is currently pursuing a master's degree in international law, which testifies to his commitment to excellence and his willingness to contribute to complex issues on a global scale.

Ervan Ouédraogo is a consultant and analyst specializing in Sahel security and an executive assistant at Sahel Politica. His expertise focuses on the complex security challenges of the region. With a solid academic and professional background, he actively contributes to the analysis and resolution of security issues, demonstrating his commitment to the stability and development of the Sahel.