As armed conflicts become increasingly shaped by digital technologies, Sahel Academy for Peace & Security Studies (SAPSS) is proud to launch the Sahel Digital PeaceTech Initiative (SDPI)—a research and innovation initiative dedicated to leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and security governance across the Sahel and West Africa.
The initiative is founded on a simple observation: while terrorist and organized armed groups rapidly adapt by exploiting artificial intelligence, commercial drones, encrypted communications, cryptocurrencies, and social media, many peace and security institutions continue to rely on conventional approaches. This widening technological gap calls for innovative, locally driven solutions.
The Sahel Digital PeaceTech Initiative seeks to bridge that gap by combining digital technologies with field-based research and policy expertise to develop practical PeaceTech solutions tailored to fragile and conflict-affected environments.
Our Vision
To establish Africa’s leading PeaceTech innovation hub, where technology serves peace, human security, and sustainable development by enabling governments, regional organizations, civil society, and local communities to anticipate, prevent, and respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
Our Mission
The SDPI integrates artificial intelligence, open-source intelligence (OSINT), geospatial analysis, digital early warning, and field-generated data to transform complex security information into actionable intelligence that supports evidence-based decision-making and conflict prevention.
Strategic Areas of Work
The initiative focuses on:
- Artificial Intelligence for Peace and Security
- Digital Early Warning Systems
- Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT)
- Geospatial Intelligence and Conflict Mapping
- Conflict Data Analytics and Predictive Risk Assessment
- Monitoring Emerging Technologies Used by Armed Groups
- Countering Online Radicalization and Disinformation
- Cybersecurity and Digital Resilience
- Capacity Building for Governments and Peace Practitioners
- PeaceTech Policy Research and Innovation
Our Objectives
The Sahel Digital PeaceTech Initiative aims to:
- Develop innovative digital tools for conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
- Strengthen regional early warning and crisis anticipation systems.
- Support governments and regional organizations with real-time, evidence-based policy analysis.
- Build local capacity in digital security, AI, and responsible technology use.
- Promote collaboration between researchers, technology developers, policymakers, and civil society.
- Advance ethical, secure, and responsible applications of emerging technologies in fragile contexts.
- Position Africa as a producer—not merely a consumer—of PeaceTech innovation.
Our Approach
Unlike conventional technology projects, the SDPI combines cutting-edge digital innovation with extensive field experience in conflict analysis, mediation, peace support operations, and security governance.
Our methodology integrates:
- Field-based qualitative and quantitative research
- Community-generated data
- Artificial intelligence-assisted analysis
- Geospatial and satellite information
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT)
- Digital threat monitoring
- Policy analysis and strategic foresight
This integrated approach produces practical solutions designed specifically for the realities of the Sahel.
Strategic Partnerships
The initiative builds upon SAPSS’s extensive collaborations with universities, international organizations, governments, and research institutions, including:
- Université Laval (CIRAM)
- African Union
- Alioune Blondin Bèye Peacekeeping School (EMP-ABB)
- Timbuktu Institute – African Center for Peace Studies
- Universities, think tanks, and peacebuilding organizations across Africa and beyond
These partnerships provide the scientific expertise, field access, and multidisciplinary collaboration necessary to develop impactful PeaceTech solutions.
Why This Initiative Matters
The future of conflict is increasingly hybrid, where violence unfolds simultaneously in physical and digital spaces.
Peacebuilding must evolve accordingly.
Artificial intelligence, digital platforms, geospatial technologies, and data analytics are no longer optional—they are becoming essential tools for protecting communities, strengthening governance, and preventing violence before it escalates.
The Sahel Digital PeaceTech Initiative represents SAPSS’s commitment to ensuring that technological innovation serves peace, human dignity, and sustainable security across Africa.
Message from the Executive Director
« Armed groups are adapting faster than the institutions tasked with preventing violence. Africa must not simply consume technologies developed elsewhere—it must lead the creation of innovative, ethical, and locally grounded PeaceTech solutions. Through the Sahel Digital PeaceTech Initiative, we aim to place technology at the service of peace, empowering communities and decision-makers with the tools needed to anticipate threats, strengthen resilience, and build lasting security. »
Join Us
SAPSS welcomes collaboration with governments, universities, technology companies, research institutions, development partners, and civil society organizations committed to advancing digital innovation for peace.
Together, we can shape the future of PeaceTech in Africa.