Transformation of Social Movements in the Countries of Francophone Africa in the Context of Neo-Pan-Africanism – JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN STUDIES

Author:

Sadovskaya L.M.¹

Affiliation:

1. Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

Abstract:

This article examines social movements (SMs) in sub-Saharan Africa, including Y’en a Marre in Senegal, Le Balai Citoyen in Burkina Faso, and La Lucha and Filimbi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The author focuses on the emergence and transformation of these movements following the rise to power, in Senegal and Burkina Faso, of new political forces interested in reforming their countries’ political and economic systems. The paper aims to analyze the institutional consequences catalyzed by these movements. It also explores the similarities and differences in the activities of these movements, including their approaches to addressing pressing issues and the actual forms of the implementation of those approaches. The paper notes that the SMs share a common strategy of action related to popular mobilization. The conceptual foundation of their activities is neo-Pan-Africanism, a commitment to internationalization across the continent, and a reimagining of a future free from the external influence of Western development concepts. The key role of these SMs in the creation of the pan-African civil society organization Afrikki, which unites civil social movements from 30 countries across the continent, is examined in the paper. The author concludes that SMs are constantly adapting to the changing political environment and continue to challenge politicians who monopolize power in their countries. This applies primarily to movements such as La Lucha and Filimbi and, to a lesser extent, to Le Balai Citoyen, which operates under martial law. As for Y’en a Marre, it is gradually shifting its focus to mobilizing civil society to address social issues within the national policies pursued by new leaders.

Keywords:

Sub-Saharan Africa, social movements, Y’en a Marre, Le Balai Сitoyen, La Lucha, Filimbi, Afrikki, transformation, neo-Pan-Africanism

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Received: 31.12.2025
Revised: 10.03.2026
Accepted: 15.03.2026

For citation:

Sadovskaya L.M. (2026). Transformation of Social Movements in the Countries of Francophone Africa in the Context of Neo-Pan-Africanism. Journal of the Institute for African Studies. Vol. 12. № 1. Pp. 71–86. https://doi.org/10.31132/2412-5717-2026-74-1-71-86

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