The threat of terrorism is聽growing in the Sahel: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on West Africa and the Sahel.
I would like to start by welcoming the聽agreement of this Council of聽a Presidential聽Statement聽on UNOWAS.聽During what is a challenging period for the region,聽that was an important signal of the Council鈥檚 full support for the region鈥檚 peace and security. We commend the penholders Sierra Leone and Switzerland for their excellent work to get it agreed.聽
We wish to聽make聽four聽points聽today.
First,聽the UK congratulates Mauritania聽and Senegal for their peaceful transfers of聽power.聽But聽democracy聽and civic space聽are under pressure聽in the region.聽We note that timelines for restoration of constitutional governments in Mali聽and Burkina Faso聽have been extended, and聽we reiterate聽the聽Council鈥檚聽call, in its recent Presidential Statement,聽for聽the聽restoration of constitutional order. Guinea鈥檚 transition timeline has also slipped,聽but聽we welcome ECOWAS鈥� assessment聽that聽some聽progress聽has聽been聽achieved聽in Guinea, including聽a聽planned referendum on the聽constitution in 2024.
Second,聽security聽across the Sahel is deteriorating.聽The threat of terrorism is聽growing, and聽requires a serious cross-regional response.聽Foreign mercenaries and proxies are not the answer. They have a track record in the region of聽worsening existing conflicts and undermining聽long-term development, and the way they operate often poses grave threats to the protection of civilians, as we saw at Moura in Mali. The UK聽remains聽concerned about the security situation聽in聽Mali,聽especially聽after the withdrawal of聽MINUSMA.聽We encourage UNOWAS聽to help bring all聽parties back聽to the negotiating table.聽
We聽also聽note the recent ECOWAS聽and Alliance of Sahel States聽summits.聽We聽urge all states in the region to seek collective solutions to the growing聽shared聽security challenge.聽As we heard聽in聽the聽Arria meeting聽called by Sierra Leone on聽19 June,聽effective counter-terror efforts聽require聽regional collaboration.
Third, the聽humanitarian聽situation聽in the region聽continues to聽get worse.聽Food insecurity,聽fueled by violence and displacement, is聽reaching聽record levels聽in聽the聽Central Sahel and Nigeria. Climate change is compounding these problems.聽
Since 2019, UK aid has supported over 15 million people in the Sahel with life-saving assistance,聽and聽3 million聽in Nigeria聽since 2017. But access is increasingly restricted,聽and聽needs are still going unmet. We call on all actors to ensure safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance.聽
Fourth, we welcome the聽IMF鈥檚聽improved economic forecast, which聽demonstrates聽the enormous聽opportunity聽for growth across聽the region聽despite聽today鈥檚聽many聽challenges.聽 The UK looks forward to deepening聽our聽partnerships in the region,聽working聽collaboratively聽to聽ensure that we drive forward both growth and security.