In accordance with its mandate, UNOWAS promotes information-sharing and interlinkages among United Nations entities operating in West Africa and the Sahel on cross-border and regional threats to peace and security. 

In order to enhance capability within West Africa and the Sahel towards a harmonized sub regional approach to peace and security, UNOWAS holds regular meetings with heads of UN regional agencies in the sub region as well as consultations with the various regional organizations belonging or not to the UN system.  Taking into account their respective mandates, these meetings provide an opportunity for United Nations entities in the region to identify ways of addressing threats posed by cross-border organized crime and drug trafficking, human trafficking, climate change, terrorist activities and food insecurity with a focus on the Sahel. 

The Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel (SRSG)  is in permanent contact with the other heads of UN Peace missions in the sub region: MINUSMA in Mali, UNIOGBIS in Guinea Bissau, UNMIL in Liberia, UNOCI in Côte d’Ivoire*. He facilitates intermission cooperation by leading the high level meetings with heads of peace missions, UN Agencies and Regional Directors; by holding regular meetings of UN Force Commanders and Military Advisers at the military level; as well as regular meetings at the expert level (human rights, humanitarian, security sector, and economic governance and gender issues).