Impact on Transport Infrastructure in Conflict Zones: A Look at West and North Africa

In February this year, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) released a report titled Roads and Conflicts in North and West Africa.

The report explores the relationship between transport systems and conflict dynamics in North and West Africa over 24 years. Roads, railways, and ports are essential for economic development and the movement of goods and people, forming one of the cornerstones of regional integration.

Over the past 24 years, transport infrastructure in North and West Africa has emerged as both a strategic asset and a contested battleground. Since the late 2000s, violence targeting transport systems has surged, driven by jihadist insurgencies and rebellions in West Africa and in the aftermath of the First Libyan Civil War in North Africa.

This report, examines the links between transport infrastructure and violence, demonstrating how these systems are deeply intertwined with social, economic and political stability.

Citation: OECD/SWAC (2025), Roads and Conflicts in North and West Africa, West African Studies, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/77474489-en.

It is an interesting read. Download it here: *attached