Urban resilience under pressure: Forced displacement, territorial reconfiguration and the challenges of planning, mobility and infrastructure in Ouahigouya, Burkina Faso

Security crises affecting the Sahel over the past several years have profoundly transformed the urban dynamics of cities hosting displaced populations. In Burkina Faso, the city of Ouahigouya has become one of the principal refuge centres for internally displaced persons (IDPs), resulting in rapid population growth and increasing pressure on urban infrastructure and services. This study analyses the effects of forced displacement on the city’s urban resilience. It aims to examine the demographic, spatial and infrastructural transformations induced by the massive influx of IDPs, assess the pressures exerted on urban systems, and propose an integrated tool for evaluating urban stress. The methodological approach combines quantitative and qualitative analyses based on documentary data, surveys conducted among 989 households, stakeholder interviews, and spatial analyses. The data collected were used to develop an Urban Resilience Stress Index (URSI) designed to measure the overall level of pressure exerted on the urban system. The findings indicate that the number of IDPs in Ouahigouya increased from 21,128 in 2020 to 147,134 in March 2023. This exceptional growth has led to the progressive saturation of educational, healthcare and housing infrastructure, increased land-use pressures, rapid expansion of peripheral urban areas, and reduced accessibility to certain essential services. The URSI reached a value of 0.86, indicating a very high level of urban stress. The analysis also highlights the systemic nature of the vulnerabilities observed, resulting from the interactions between demographic pressures, infrastructural constraints, land-use dynamics and limited institutional capacities. This research contributes to the growing body of literature on urban resilience in fragile contexts by proposing an analytical framework applicable to secondary cities in the Sahel. It emphasises the need to integrate forced displacement into urban planning policies, strengthen the capacities of local authorities, and promote resilient and adaptive urban development strategies.