The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, today presented to the Security Council the latest report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS). The report provides an update on key developments in the region, the activities of UNOWAS, the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, and the implementation of the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel.
Addressing the members of the Security Council, Mr. Simão focused his speech on three major trends observed in the region: “the concerning security situation, the renewal of the dynamics of dialogue and cooperation, as well as the democratic developments underway in the region.”
With regard to the security situation, the Special Representative said that “the threat posed by terrorist and other non-State armed groups remains acute”, particularly in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, while rapidly expanding to the coastal States of the Gulf of Guinea. He noted that these groups are “adapting their tactics”, using “advanced technologies, such as drones, means of communication and cryptocurrencies”, and maintaining increasing links with “transnational organised crime”, with the aim of consolidating their territorial and economic control and “eroding people's trust in the authority of the state”.
The Special Representative recalled that “the human cost of this violence is devastating”, stressing that millions of people remain displaced across the region. He also warned that “humanitarian access remains severely limited,” while “funding shortfalls are reducing the scope of life-saving assistance.” He added that “women, children and young people continue to bear the brunt of insecurity, rights violations and limited access to essential services” and that “attacks on schools illustrate the heavy toll that insecurity takes on the future of entire communities”.
Despite these challenges, Leonardo Santos Simão noted “a new impetus in terms of dialogue” in West Africa and the Sahel. He welcomed the consultations undertaken between ECOWAS and the countries of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), the mediation initiatives led by several States in the region as well as “the growing role of the African Union in promoting dialogue, rapprochement between the parties and strategic coherence”.
He said UNOWAS “remained fully committed to encouraging and supporting these developments for dialogue and cooperation.” He cited the reopening of the Kamba border post between Niger and Nigeria, the recent diplomatic exchanges between several countries in the region as well as the decision of Mali and Algeria to normalize their bilateral relations. “These are some examples of regional efforts to promote dialogue leading to cooperation among countries in the region,” he said.
Turning to the political situation, the Special Representative said that “despite multiple challenges, democracy is taking root in the region”, as evidenced by “peaceful elections, reforms and continued progress towards accountable governance”. However, he recalled that, in several countries, “the need to ensure stability, accountability, the rule of law, respect for human rights and inclusive governance remains essential”.
Leonardo Santos Simão also insisted that “security responses alone will not be enough”. To sustainably address the root causes of instability, “investments are needed in the social, economic, and environmental foundations of peace.” He recalled the initiatives carried out by UNOWAS in the fields of water diplomacy, maritime security and dialogue between young people and the authorities on new drugs, while stressing that he had seen in northern Togo “the positive impact on security of an approach combining security measures, development and humanitarian interventions”.
Finally, the Special Representative welcomed the progress of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission in implementing the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice, saying it was “an example of how patient and principled engagement can transform potentially conflicting issues into a framework for cooperation”.
In conclusion, Leonardo Santos Simão reaffirmed that “UNOWAS remains fully committed to the implementation of its mandate in the service of peace, constitutional governance and regional cooperation in West Africa and the Sahel”.
