During the high-level conference on the prevention of electoral violence organized by the United Nations Development Program and held from December 7 to 10 in Guinea-Bissau, the director of the Timbuktu Institute, Dr. Bakary Sambe, called for the prevention of institutional crises. He argues that they are at the root of electoral violence.

During the first panel, Dr. Sambe explained the causes and origins of electoral violence in West Africa. Pointing to the non-transparency of electoral processes, the role of justice and the media, he called for "preventive action that must pay particular attention to these institutional crises because the Malian crisis and the recent Ivorian crisis started from an institutional crisis.

Guinea-Bissau, through the peaceful holding of its legislative elections on March 10, 2019, has set a good example and recalled the importance that its national actors attach to the political and socio-economic stability of the country. More than 200 actors, including several nationals, were present at this conference. Among them: representatives of the State, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, representatives of political parties, the representative of ECOWAS in Guinea-Bissau, a delegation of the European Union, etc.

In order to deepen the democratic practice in which the periodic holding of free, fair and transparent elections remains essential, the Timbuktu Institute will continue to accompany the countries of the sub-region on the prevention of electoral violence, which is ultimately a variant of the multi-faceted political violence that the region is experiencing.