Kimbirila-Nord, a serene village in Ivory Coast, is characterized by its tomato cultivation and grazing cattle, seemingly far removed from the epicenter of the global battle against extremism. However, following an assault by militants on a neighboring settlement in Mali five years prior, and their establishment of a stronghold in the nearby forest, the U.S. allocated $20 million in aid. This initiative aimed to combat the expansion of groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State in Kimbirila-Nord and other surrounding villages.
This support was significantly reduced due to broad cuts in foreign aid by the Trump administration, despite escalating violence in Mali and other parts of the Sahel region. This violence has displaced thousands, pushing them towards northern Ivory Coast. The locals fear their community is being neglected as the cessation of aid poses threats to counterterrorism efforts and diminishes U.S. influence in a region where some nations have begun seeking assistance from Russian mercenaries.
In Kimbirila-Nord, American funding previously facilitated job training for young villagers, created safe areas for cattle to prevent theft by militants across the Malian border, and implemented an information-sharing network for residents to alert one another and the authorities about violent episodes. Yacouba Doumbia, the 78-year-old village chief, expressed that poverty and hunger drove young people towards extremism, but timely intervention from the project had fortified their defenses.
Over recent years, West Africa has faced growing threats from extremist insurgencies and coups, with factions tied to al-Qaida and the Islamic State gaining ground and extending their influence into more affluent West African coastal nations like Ivory Coast, Benin, and Togo. In 2019, the enactment of the Global Fragility Act by President Donald Trump spurred initiatives in northern Ivory Coast aimed at capturing a critical prevention window, as detailed in a congressional report this year.
Experts agree that local issues such as competition for land, resource scarcity, exclusion, marginalization, and limited economic opportunities are fueling the rise of extremist groups. In the Sahel, many recruits come from communities marginalized by government oversight. According to a UN official working in Ivory Coast, without sustained support for border villages, even minor issues could lead them towards extremist paths.
In early 2020, a militant strike on a Malian village near Kimbirila-Nord highlighted its vulnerability to extremism. With intertwined lives and open borders, extremists with similar cultural backgrounds easily accessed Kimbirila-Nord. Many residents lacked identity cards and French language skills, preventing access to governmental services and information. Conflicts and tensions over resources divided the ethnically diverse population, and young people faced limited pathways to financial independence.
Aminata Doumbia, head of the village’s women’s farming cooperative, recounted the fear when extremists attacked, illustrating the absence of collective community resilience. Though the Ivorian government provides professional training, grants, and microloans, access was notably challenging in villages like Kimbirila-Nord. The U.S.-funded project helped address these gaps, offering training that enabled refugees like Sifata Berte, a Malian, to find employment.
The USAID-backed project established community radio stations in local languages, facilitating information dissemination, and deployed mobile government units to issue identity documents to tens of thousands, fostering community ties through microcredit cooperatives and initiatives addressing land tensions. Chief Doumbia asserted that these efforts enabled villagers to coexist peacefully.
This project was orchestrated by Equal Access International, ensuring essential information about regional violence reached U.S. databases, serving as a critical resource on Sahel violence. In the wake of an extremist attack on Grand Bassam in 2016 and subsequent border skirmishes in 2021, coordinated military and development efforts by Ivorian authorities, Western allies, and aid groups contained the violence.
In 2024, U.S. Africa Command allocated over $65 million to projects in Ivory Coast, concentrating on counterterrorism and border security in northern provinces. The Pentagon denied any budget cuts undermining Africa-focused counterterrorism initiatives. Despite maintaining a robust GDP per capita in West Africa, Ivory Coast still struggles with widespread underdevelopment, reflected in basic service gaps in rural areas like Kimbirila-Nord.
Famy Rene, prefect of Korhogo, emphasized the need for holistic approaches beyond military solutions, highlighting programs to boost community resilience. Prior to the U.S. aid freeze, Kimbirila-Nord had envisioned significant projects including a new well, collective farming, and expanded vocational training. Now, the villagers fear they must face extremist threats alone, as Chief Doumbia warns that neglect could invite renewed aggression from across the border.
