Dakar, 8 July 2024- The Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, participated yesterday in the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, held in Abuja, Nigeria.

In his intervention, the Special Representative commended the continuous and sustained efforts to address the multiple challenges facing the subregion, particularly the threat to the unity and cohesion of ECOWAS, and the tireless efforts to address the scourge of terrorism, including through the setting up of a counterterrorism force. “I encourage the continuation of efforts aimed at preserving the integrity and cohesion of ECOWAS, essential for the strengthening of the necessary conditions for deepening the regional integration process,” he declared.

While commending the successful conduct of the elections in Senegal and in Liberia, Mr. Simão stressed the importance of peaceful elections and called for increased efforts to promote greater inclusiveness, particularly of youth, women and people living with disabilities in electoral and political processes, and in governance in general, as some Member States prepare for future elections.

The Special Representative also noted the success of the ECOWAS-AU-UNOWAS joint mission to Sierra Leone which he co-led with Her Excellency Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia, in bringing back the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) to the tripartite peace table within the framework of the Agreement for National Unity, signed by the Government and the APC on 18 October 2023. “I take this opportunity to congratulate both the Government of Sierra Leone and the All-People’s Congress for their dedicated efforts to find peaceful solutions to their differences, putting the interest of the people of Sierra Leone as their common priority,” he declared.

In the context of complex challenges in the subregion, “the United Nations will continue to support national and regional efforts to ensure peace and stability, enhance democracy and good governance including through inclusive political processes, and socio-economic development, with emphasis on economic empowerment for women and youth,” he said.