UNOWAS Speeches and Statements

Abuja, 22 June 2025 Your Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government; Excellencies, Heads of State and Government of…

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, condemns the violent clashes at the Capitol Hill that erupted on…

On The Eve of Ghana’s Elections, Special Representative Simão Calls on All Citizens to exercise their civic responsibility peacefully On the eve of presidential and parliamentary elections in Ghana, the Special Representative…

Dakar, 26 November 2023 - The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, condemns the attempted overnight forcible…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN) are closely following the progress towards Liberia’s presidential and legislative elections scheduled to take place on 10 October 2023. The…

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Léonardo Santos Simão, is deeply concerned by current events in Niger, which indicate an…

Dakar, 23 June 2023 - On the eve of the general elections in Sierra Leone, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos…

Ahead of Nigeria's general elections, DSRSG BHA commends the signing of the second national peace accord for peaceful elections and calls on all parties to respect their commitments under the accords Ahead of presidential and…

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF, condemns the despicable terrorist attack perpetrated on Friday night…

Remarks by Mohamed Ibn Chambas Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNOWAS Dakar, 23 January 2021 --------------------------- Your Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of…

West Africa and the Sahel region continues to suffer from multiple challenges, triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, that are plunging most countries of the region into recession and leading them to a diversion of resources…