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United States Institute of Peace

Matthew Edds-Reitman

Program Manager, West Africa

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Matthew Edds-Reitman is the program manager for West Africa in USIP’s Africa Center. He leads initiatives to bolster community and state peacebuilding capacities in Nigeria, as well as the conflict prevention program across West Africa.

Matthew has worked on peace, security and governance in the region for the past several years with experience in implementation, research and policy.

He holds a master’s degree in security studies from Georgetown University, a bachelor’s in journalism and international relations from Boston University, and a certificate in negotiation and intercultural communication from American University.

Publications By Matthew

Sahel Coup Regime’s Split from ECOWAS Risks Instability in Coastal West Africa

Sahel Coup Regime’s Split from ECOWAS Risks Instability in Coastal West Africa

Thursday, October 24, 2024

By: Matthew Edds-Reitman;  Rachel Yeboah Boakye

As policymakers monitor the spread of terrorist violence and warfare from the Sahel region, one broad threat to international and U.S. interests is West Africa’s 3.4 million people uprooted by the Sahel’s chaos. So far, over 110,000 have fled to four West African coastal states, a migration that signals new dangers to the region’s democracies, and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the multinational body that for decades has been central to promoting region-wide stability.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance;  Fragility & Resilience

Nigeria at a Crossroads: Navigating Protests Amid Elections

Nigeria at a Crossroads: Navigating Protests Amid Elections

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

By: Chris Kwaja;  Matthew Edds-Reitman

Nigerians marked their 64th independence day on October 1 with widespread protests fueled by growing public anger over soaring inflation, worsening insecurity, ineffective governance and rising fuel prices. This marks the second time in less than three months that citizens have taken to the streets. In August, during the “10 Days of Rage,” the appearance of Russian flags and calls for military intervention distracted from Nigeria’s entrenched governance and economic crises — issues that continue to drive insecurity and demand urgent government action. The latest protests coincide with local elections, heightening pressure on the government to demonstrate a genuine commitment to addressing citizens’ concerns in a tangible, meaningful way.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance;  Economics

Stability in West Africa: Working With Nigeria’s State Governments

Stability in West Africa: Working With Nigeria’s State Governments

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

By: Chris Kwaja;  Matthew Edds-Reitman

As coups and other setbacks have stymied military-led efforts to stem upheavals in West Africa and the Sahel, a potent new constituency of leaders has just gathered to plan nonviolent strategies to stabilize their own core area of the region: northern Nigeria. In West Africa’s demographic giant, economic crisis is exacerbating intercommunal conflicts, crime and other violence — and Nigeria’s federalism gives vital roles to its states in addressing roots of these problems. Ten recently elected state governors gathered in Washington last month with peacebuilding and development experts, business leaders and senior U.S. officials; they resolved to strengthen and coordinate state-level stabilization strategies — an initiative that international partners should support.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance

To Help Stabilize West Africa, Bolster a Key Partner: Nigeria

To Help Stabilize West Africa, Bolster a Key Partner: Nigeria

Monday, April 15, 2024

By: Rachel Yeboah Boakye;  Chris Kwaja;  Matthew Edds-Reitman

Continued violence in West Africa is sharpening America’s critical challenge to reduce extremism and violence, particularly in the Sahel. Violent deaths in three western Sahel nations surged by 38% last year and Niger’s coup has complicated the U.S. military role in the region. The violence is likely to spread further this year into coastal West Africa, a region five times more populous, with commensurately greater security implications for Africa, the United States and the world. A vital partner in stabilizing both regions is Nigeria, and U.S. institutions should consider several priorities for helping it do so.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & Governance

For Sahel Stability, U.S. Needs Broader, Coordinated Policy

For Sahel Stability, U.S. Needs Broader, Coordinated Policy

Thursday, March 21, 2024

By: Kris Inman;  Matthew Edds-Reitman

As military coups and violent insurgencies have spread across Africa’s Sahel over the past decade, U.S. policy has professed to recognize and address their interconnections across the region, notably through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership. Yet this effort remains insufficient to meet the scale and complexity of the violence and the underlying failures of governance.

Type: Analysis

Violent Extremism

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