From October 2 to 4, 2025, Cotonou will host a major regional event: an international conference on fragility, conflict, violence, and social cohesion mechanisms in the border regions and communities of Northern Benin. Organized under the Social Cohesion Project for the Northern Gulf of Guinea (COSO) and supported by the World Bank, the event will gather researchers, development practitioners, public officials, and civil society leaders from across the region.
A Regional Initiative Addressing Today’s Complex Challenges
Backed by the governments of Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, COSO aims to enhance the resilience of border communities facing conflict, climate risk, and socioeconomic vulnerability.
In this context, the Cotonou conference is designed to mobilize scientific expertise and grassroots experience to generate inclusive, evidence-based solutions. It marks a milestone in the effort to build a regional body of knowledge around social cohesion—a topic still underrepresented in development policy and research.
A Bold Goal: Informing Public Action Through Knowledge
This conference goes beyond diagnosis. It seeks to co-construct a shared research agenda, bridging academic findings with local experiences. Contributions are expected around four thematic axes:
- Local Governance and Social Cohesion – How do institutional reforms affect the inclusion of marginalized communities?
- Climate Change and Social Cohesion – How are environmental disruptions reshaping community solidarity?
- Regional Integration and Social Cohesion – What tensions and opportunities arise from internal migration and cross-border dynamics?
- Institutions and Cohesion – From families to faith groups to cooperatives: what role do local institutions play in holding communities together?
These themes reflect pressing development challenges across the Gulf of Guinea and Sahel zones, where resilience, equity, and peace are under pressure.
Call for Papers Open Until July 2, 2025
The scientific committee invites researchers, doctoral candidates, development actors, and project leaders to submit proposals in English or French. Papers may be academic or based on real-world project outcomes and lessons learned.
Submissions must be made via the online form:
👉 Submit your abstract
🗓️ Key Dates
- Abstract deadline: July 2, 2025
- Conference dates: October 2–4, 2025
- Venue: Palais des Congrès, Cotonou (Benin)
- Languages: English and French
A Space for Regional Dialogue and Innovation
Over three days, participants will engage in keynote lectures, thematic sessions, roundtables, exhibitions, and field-oriented discussions. The conference will serve as a regional laboratory for knowledge exchange and policy innovation, combining theory with practice. All accepted contributions will feed into a research and action catalogue on social cohesion in the Gulf of Guinea region—a crucial tool for decision-makers and development partners.
