Mr. François Louncény FALL, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA) and Mr. Mahamat Saleh ANNADIF, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), concluded, this Friday 22 October, a five-day joint visit to Cameroon and Chad.

The joint UNOCA-UNOWAS visit is part of the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2349 (2017) on terrorist threat in the Lake Chad Basin. This mission is the first stop on a tour of the four countries of the Lake Chad Basin affected by Boko Haram.

In Cameroon and Chad, Special Representatives FALL and ANNADIF met with members of the Government, local and military authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, members of United Nations country teams, as well as humanitarian and development partners. They also visited Maroua (Far North Region of Cameroon) and Baga Sola (Lake Province in Chad) where they paid great attention to the situation of local communities, displaced populations, and refugees with whom they exchanged views on the realities on the ground. 

Mr. FALL and Mr. ANNADIF welcomed the progress made by Cameroon and Chad, with the support of United Nations agencies, under the implementation of the regional strategy for the stabilization, recovery and resilience of Boko Haram-affected areas in the Lake Chad Basin. With their interlocutors, they discussed the sensitive issue of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former Boko Haram associates. In addition, the two UN senior officials expressed their solidarity with the peoples and governments of Cameroon and Chad. They also reiterated the commitment of the international community to continue to support them and the region in their efforts to secure, stabilize and promote sustainable development.

In the coming days, Fall and Annadif will also visit Nigeria and Niger. The aim is to encourage the four countries affected by the resurgence of Boko Haram, and other extremist groups, to pool their efforts to confront terrorism.