20 December 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, today presented to the United Nations Security Council the latest report of the Secretary-General on the activities of UNOWAS, highlighting the need for enhanced regional cooperation.
Addressing the members of the Security Council, Mr. Simão highlighted the significant democratic progress made in the region, citing the peaceful elections in Ghana and Senegal, while acknowledging the economic challenges that threaten these gains. “These two elections demonstrate progress in democracy in the region. However, Ghana, Senegal and others face significant economic challenges and require support to manage rising debt and implement projects that protect livelihoods, otherwise their democratic gains may fail to satisfy the created expectations of the populations, in particular among women and the youth,” said the Special Representative.
Mr. Simão also recalled his participation in the last summit of the Heads of State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), while stressing the crucial position of the Summit to maintain dialogue with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, despite their decision to withdraw from the regional organization. The Special Representative then referred to the need to coordinate efforts to combat terrorism. “Regional leaders unanimously acknowledge insecurity driven by terrorism and violent extremism as the region’s most urgent concern,” he said.
The humanitarian and security situation is alarming in the central Sahel, where increased displacement and insecurity have led to the closure of more than 8,200 schools. The Special Representative briefed the members of the UN Security Council on the recent attacks in the Central Sahel that have resulted in significant loss of life, as well as the fact that “terrorist groups are becoming more and more aggressive, with increased use of sophisticated weaponry, including drones”. He therefore urged international partners to support the underfunded humanitarian appeal, which currently remains below 50% of its target.
In addition to these concerns, Mr. Simão also mentioned that human rights violations and restrictions on civic space persist, especially in Guinea and the Central Sahel countries. He nevertheless commended Liberia for its efforts to ensure accountability for past crimes and The Gambia for its exemplary transitional justice process.
The Special Representative also highlighted the progress made in the demarcation of the border between Cameroon and Nigeria, which he said would be a major step forward for peacebuilding, the rule of law and diplomacy. He informed that the Cameroon- Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC) will collaborate closely with the African Union to advance African-led peacebuilding and conflict prevention mechanisms.
Mr. Simão welcomed the recent adoption of the Pact for the Future, which aims to strengthen dialogue and confidence-building measures among Member States. He reiterated UNOWAS’ commitment to fostering collaboration among different stakeholders, including governments, civil society, women and youth, to address urgent security, governance and humanitarian assistance issues. He also reaffirmed UNOWAS’ commitment to promoting human-centered peace initiatives, particularly in light of the upcoming ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit focused on strengthening regional integration, with a focus on the implementation of resolutions 1325 and 2250 on women, youth, peace and security.