Dr Yabi spent seven years as senior political analyst and later as project director for the West Africa Project of the International Crisis Group, a think-tank dedicated to conflict prevention and resolution. Holding a Ph.D in Development economics from the university of Clermont-Ferrand in France, Gilles also worked as a journalist for the weekly magazine Jeune Afrique in Paris. Since November 2013, Gilles has been working as independent consultant in the fields of conflict analysis, security and political governance in West Africa, while setting up WATHI. Gilles has published over the last twelve years dozens of articles, reports, book chapters mainly on political gouvernance, conflict situations and socioeconomic challenges of West Africa.