Refract Café

What is a ReFract Cafe?

A ReFrACT Cafe is a broad term to describe consultation sessions intended to open discussion on pressing matters and provide policy recommendations.

These sessions are called Cafes because they are done in a semi-formal setting, with a Cafe in hand, under Chatham rules.

Event Description

Tuareg and Fulani elites play complex roles in the conflicts affecting nomadic communities in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. This presentation by Asst. Prof. Bencherif explores their interactions with state actors, failed dialogue efforts, and shifting dynamics amid violence and displacement. Fieldwork in Mali, Niger, and the Algerian Sahara adds depth to the analysis.

Marte Belde will follow with insights from field research in Mali, comparing elite dynamics in regions beyond Tuareg and Fulani influence.

The event will be chaired by Emmanuel Klimis, Professor at UCLouvain Saint-Louis Bruxelles and ReFrACT co-lead Researcher.

Policy Supporting Programme

Refract (short for Resilience and Fragility in Action) is a policy support programme commissioned by the Belgian Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid (DGD). It is implemented by a consortium of researchers from Belgian and universities in the Sahel and African Great Lakes regions.

By engaging with policymakers and exploring the causes, lived experiences, and impacts of crises, the project aims to inform more effective policy responses.

Registration is free but mandatory! 

Register here