Before the Security Council, Special Representative Leonardo Santos Simão calls for strengthening regional dialogue to address persistent challenges in West Africa and the Sahel

The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) promotes political dialogue, mediation, and conflict prevention across the region, working closely with national authorities, regional organizations—including ECOWAS and the African Union—and civil society. It also supports coordinated responses to cross-border challenges such as terrorism, violent extremism, climate-related security risks, maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, and governance and electoral tensions. Through its good offices, UNOWAS fosters long-term stability and contributes to building resilient, inclusive societies across West Africa and the Sahel.