WASDI

Who We Are

Mission

To advance equitable governance, effective institutions, resilience, and economic transformation in West Africa and the Sahel through independent research, capacity development, policy dialogue, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

Vision

WASDI envisions a peaceful, prosperous, and self-determined Sahel in which political and economic elites choose development, institutions serve the public interest, and inclusive economic growth drives lasting structural transformation.

Core Values

Rigor. Independence. Equity. Inclusive Institutions. Leadership for Results.

Areas of Work

01.Governance and Political Economy
Institutions, public-sector effectiveness, accountability, political incentives, elite behavior, and the relationship between governance and development outcomes.
02.Development Policy and Economic Transformation
Policies and strategies that promote inclusive growth, productive transformation, employment, poverty reduction, and sustainable development.
03.Fragility, Conflict and Resilience
The political, institutional, economic, and social drivers of fragility, as well as approaches to conflict prevention, recovery, resilience, and peacebuilding.
04.West Africa and the Sahel
Regionally grounded analysis and advisory work on the distinctive development, governance, economic, and security challenges facing West Africa and the Sahel.
05.Research and Capacity Development
Applied research, policy analysis, training, mentoring, institutional learning, and technical support designed to strengthen local analytical and implementation capabilities.
06.Policy Dialogue, Advocacy and Partnerships
Evidence-informed advocacy, policy dialogue, strategic partnerships, public events, and communication initiatives that connect research with decision-making and promote practical responses to the Sahel's development challenges.

Founder & Director

Dr. Mamadou Kiari Liman-Tinguiri

Mamadou Kiari Liman-Tinguiri is an economist, academic and a seasoned international development professional with more than four decades of experience in academia, development cooperation, and diplomacy. He worked within the United Nations system for nearly twenty years (1992–2011), first as an Economic Adviser for UNICEF in West Africa, later as Senior Adviser in post-apartheid South Africa, and then as UNICEF Representative in Algeria and Syria. He joined UNDP as United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Equatorial Guinea and later in Guyana. In 2012 he founded and led an international development consulting firm in Ottawa, Canada, for ten years. From November 2021 until the military coup of July 2023, he served as Ambassador of the Republic of Niger to the United States. Earlier in his career, he taught at the University of Nancy II and at the University of Niamey. More recently, in 2025, he taught Political Economy of International Development at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He holds a Ph.D. in Economics and an HDR in Development Economics from the University of Nancy II. He has published around fifteen articles in academic journals as well as opinion pieces. His previous book, Democracy in Fragile States, was published by L'Harmattan in Paris in 2015.