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Peace consolidation in West Africa - Security Council, 9685th meeting
Measures to address insecurity, humanitarian crises, shrinking civic spaces and other threats must place people at the forefront and will be more effective if done collectively, the head of UN efforts in West Africa and the Sahel told the Security Council today, as he reported on the state of a region that — while notching certain successes — is grappling with profound challenges. “A worrying picture is emerging,” said Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), spotlighting growing insecurity, worsening humanitarian crises and insufficient cooperation among States to address these issues. Additionally, transitional regimes have postponed the return to constitutional rule — causing fears of prolonged uncertainty — and new legislation has limited civil liberties in countries undergoing transition.
He also noted that “the Governments of the three Central Sahel States continue to argue that ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] no longer serves their interests”. Consequently, they have reduced their participation in regional security cooperation mechanisms — “even as terrorism and transnational organized crime remain a pervasive threat”, he noted.
Stressing that renouncing ECOWAS implies renouncing key benefits such as regional integration, freedom of movement, security cooperation and an integrated regional economy, he added: “This would be hurtful to both sides.”
Nevertheless, he welcomed “remarkable” democratic successes, including presidential elections in Mauritania, a resolved political crisis in Senegal, ongoing electoral preparations in Ghana, a smooth transition in Liberia and transitional-justice efforts in the Gambia. Detailing UNOWAS’ work in these and other contexts — including to ensure that the UN is granted humanitarian access to communities in need in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso — he said: “Against the multiple challenges, UNOWAS will stay the course.”
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