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UN / FELTMAN WEST AFRICA
STORY: UN / FELTMAN WEST AFRICA
TRT: 02:30
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 06 MARCH 2017, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
06 MARCH 2017, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, dais
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“The transition in the Gambia took place primarily because of the people of the Gambia coming out, voting for a new president in the December 1st elections and then insisting on that new president being able to take office. But it is also, I think, a very clear case of prevention when you have the sub-regional organization, ECOWAS, the sub-regional organization of West Africa, the African Union, and the UN all united behind the will of the Gambian people.”
4. Med shot, press
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“We are really looking to try to address the key drivers of instability in Burkina Faso with the leadership of the, people and government of Burkina Faso itself. When I was there, the 26th and 27th of February, we talked about this, with the President and others, that the main drivers of instability are political divisions between supporters of the former regime and the new authorities; second, week security institutions; third, week rule of law; and fourth, popular frustration due to the socio-economic situation.”
6. Med shot, press
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“West Africa has proven to have particularly well developed institutions in the sub-region for promoting this type of sub-regional cooperation, for having the capacity to work with the African Union and with the UN to promote various policies. You look at how West Africa came together behind the transition of Burkina Faso fourteen months ago, it was very similar to the way that West Africa came together behind the transition in the Gambia more recently.”
8. Med shot, press
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeffrey Feltman, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs:
“We in the United Nations, including the Department of Political Affairs I have the honour to lead, and our regional office in Dakar, the UN office for West Africa and the Sahel, UNOWAS, are committed to working with the region and with the individual countries to anchor peace.”
10. Zoom out, end of briefing
Upon his return from the region, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman today (6 Mar) said the presidential transition in the Gambia was “a very clear case of prevention” where “ECOWAS, the sub-regional organization of West Africa, the African Union, and the UN all united behind the will of the Gambian people.”
Talking to reporters in New York, Feltman also spoke about the situation in Burkina Faso.
He said “the main drivers of instability are political divisions between supporters of the former regime and the new authorities; second, week security institutions; third, week rule of law; and fourth, popular frustration due to the socio-economic situation.”
The Under-Secretary-General highlighted the role of the regional and sub-regional organizations.
He said “you look at how West Africa came together behind the transition of Burkina Faso fourteen months ago, it was very similar to the way that West Africa came together behind the transition in the Gambia more recently.”
Feltman said the United Nations, including the Department of Political Affairs and the regional office in Dakar, the UN office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), “are committed to working with the region and with the individual countries to anchor peace.”
A political standoff developed in the Gambia in January after incumbent President Yahya Jammeh refused to step down after losing the election to President Adama Barrow.
Barrow was sworn in at the Gambian embassy in neighbouring Senegal and eventually took office with the support of ECOWAS and the African Union.
In Burkina Faso, a coup d'état was launched on 16 September 2015 by members of the Regiment of Presidential Security (RSP) who temporarily detained President Michel Kafando.
Kafando was restored as President on 23 September 2015.
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