Monsieur le Président du Conseil,
Mesdames et Messieurs les membres du Conseil,
J’ai l’honneur de vous présenter aujourd’hui le rapport du Secrétaire général sur les activités du Bureau des Nations Unies pour l’Afrique de l’Ouest et le Sahel (UNOWAS). Permettez-moi d’emblée d’adresser mes plus sincères félicitations à la République Démocratique du Congo pour sa présidence des travaux du Conseil tout au long du mois de juillet et de lui souhaiter une présidence fructueuse.
Le 19 juillet, en Sierra Leone, se tiendra un sommet de la CEDEAO à double vocation, à la fois ordinaire, mais aussi consacré à établir l'avenir de l'intégration régionale en Afrique de l'Ouest, à la suite des récents événements politiques dans la zone. Dans une région en proie à des tensions géopolitiques exacerbées et qui aggravent une situation sécuritaire déjà fragile, nous nous attachons à promouvoir le dialogue, à favoriser la compréhension mutuelle, à transmettre des messages d'encouragement et à rechercher un terrain d'entente avec toutes les parties prenantes : dirigeants gouvernementaux, institutions régionales, entités des Nations Unies, société civile, femmes et jeunes leaders.
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Council,
In West Africa and the Sahel, three broad trends stand out, first, the concerning security situation, second, the renewal of the momentum for dialogue and cooperation, and thirdly, the democratic developments occurring in the region.
On the security situation, the threat posed by terrorist and other non-state armed groups remains acute, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, rapidly targeting coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea. These groups are adapting their tactics, increasingly using advanced technology, such as drones, means of communication and cryptocurrencies. Their attacks are coordinated across multiple fronts, including across countries. Their actions intersect with transnational organized crime, and are aimed at consolidating territorial and economic control, erosion of public confidence in state authority, with serious damage to social cohesion.
On 25 April, a coalition of the terrorist group Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, or JNIM, and the Malian separatist group Front de Libération de l’Azawad, or FLA, launched simultaneous attacks against strategic targets in Bamako, Kati, Kidal, Gao, and Mopti, among others, causing civilian and military casualties, including the death of the Minister of Defence. Partial blockade imposed on key supply routes into Bamako is disrupting the movement of essential goods and services, and attacks on power lines are affecting supply of electricity and water. More recently, fighting between the Malian armed forces and the FLA/JNIM coalition has moved Northern Mali, especially in the Kidal and Gao regions.
In Niger, terrorist attacks occurred at the airport of Niamey, as well as against a military base in Tahoua, between January and June. Attacks have also been reported in Tillabéri and Diffa regions.
Burkina Faso continued to face assaults, including drone-enabled operations, particularly in the Nord and Est regions. The authorities announced plans to recruit 100,000 reservists and approximately 12,000 military personnel by the end of 2026. In Nigeria, the North and the Middle Belt also experienced continued attacks, abductions, and high civilian casualties.
The human cost of the violence is devastating. As of the end of February, about 6.8 million people were internally displaced across the region, in addition to around 1.28 million refugees and asylum-seekers, including approximately 220.000 in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo. In Liberia, authorities report a steep increase in the migrant population of Burkinabè, since 2025, from about 40,000 to around 140,000 today. This is placing high pressure on host communities, land resources, and basic social services.
Coupled with terrorism, drug trafficking, production and consumption are a rapidly growing phenomena in the region, affecting mainly coastal states, where increasing quantities of different types of these substances are being seized by the authorities. Youth are the principal victims, but there are also reports of their use by terrorist combatants. Furthermore, political and public institutions in some countries are reportedly threatened by drug syndicates, leading to their weakening.
Humanitarian access remains severely constrained in many areas, while funding shortfalls are reducing the reach of life-saving assistance. Women, children and young people continue to bear the brunt of displacement, insecurity, rights violations and limited access to essential services. Attacks on schools underscore the wider toll that insecurity is taking on the future prospects of entire communities. However, new investments in school and vocational training infrastructures, as well as alternative learning methods are helping keep education within reach for vulnerable or displaced children and youth, including girls, in hard-to-reach areas.
Faced with these challenges, regional actors are working hard to find solutions. ECOWAS has renewed efforts to operationalize its Standby Force, but at a lower dimension than needed, due to financial limitations. The implementation of the Council Resolution 2719 was expected to be a major UN contribution in assisting the region to face the growing challenge of terrorism.
Mr. President,
Mesdames et Messieurs les membres du Conseil,
L’Afrique de l’Ouest et le Sahel connaissent un nouvel élan en matière de dialogue. Une Conférence consultative de haut niveau sur la coopération régionale et la sécurité, tenue à Accra en janvier, a réuni des dirigeants régionaux et des partenaires qui se sont engagés à rétablir la confiance et à mettre en place un nouveau mécanisme de coopération sécuritaire destiné à remplacer l’Initiative d’Accra. D’autres consultations ont ensuite eu lieu avec l’inclusion de nouveaux acteurs, notamment européens et d’autres régions, avec la participation active de tous les États membres de l’AES et de la CEDEAO
Dans le même esprit, la CEDEAO a nommé l’ancien Premier ministre de Guinée, Lansana Kouyaté, comme négociateur en chef chargé du dialogue avec les pays de l’AES, et des consultations sont désormais en cours. Par ailleurs, des acteurs tels que le Sénégal et le Togo multiplient les initiatives afin de rapprocher les positions et de promouvoir une stratégie commune pour lutter contre le fléau du terrorisme et de la criminalité organisée dans la région. Il convient également de souligner le rôle croissant de l’Union africaine qui joue un rôle de plus en plus important dans la promotion du dialogue, du rapprochement entre les parties et de la cohérence stratégique. Cette évolution se traduit notamment par une coopération renforcée avec la CEDEAO ainsi que par des échanges accrus avec le Mali et d’autres pays de l’AES.
UNOWAS has remained fully engaged in encouraging and supporting these developments for dialogue and cooperation. During the reporting period, I consulted leaders and senior officials across the region, including in Ghana, Togo, Niger and Senegal, as well as with ECOWAS, the AU and European Envoys, as well as international partners in Abuja, Brussels, Washington and Paris. Convening regional and international actors in Banjul in April, the AU Special Representative and Head of the AU Mission for Mali and the Sahel, Mamadou Tangara, presented the Mission’s new approach, built around respect for sovereignty, unconditional dialogue, and inclusive institutional engagement.
These exchanges show that there is a shift from confrontation toward collaboration and constructive engagement that is beginning to produce concrete results. On 9 February, Niger and Nigeria reopened the Kamba border crossing, restoring a significant trade corridor. The attendance by the Prime Minister of Niger as well as the Foreign Ministers of Burkina Faso and Mali at the inauguration of President Romuald Wadagniof Benin and President Wadagni’s subsequent tour to Niamey, Ouagadougou, and Bamako and the broader Sahel signaled a renewed commitment to improving relations. Talks are ongoing for a reopening of the Niger-Benin border.
The Mano River Union also stepped up its engagement for dialogue, as the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone met in Conakry to address growing tensions in their border areas and recommit to peaceful dispute resolution. In Sierra Leone, mediation by the International Moral Guarantors, including ECOWAS and UNOWAS, helped secure an agreement between the Government and the opposition on key steps to accelerate the implementation of the Agreement for National Unityand the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee. More recently, Mali and Algeria decided to normalize their bilateral relations, by opening their respective airspaces and reinstate their ambassadors.
These are some examples of regional efforts towards dialogue leading to cooperation among the countries of the region.
Mr. President,
Distinguished members of the Council,
Although facing multiple challenges, democracy is taking root in the region, as reflected by peaceful elections, reforms and continued steps towards accountable governance.
During the reporting period, elections proceeded peacefully in Benin, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea. In Cabo Verde, the opposition returned to power after a decade, while in Benin, the April presidential election concluded the 2026 electoral cycle.
Reform efforts are also under way in several countries. In Ghana, the establishment of a Specialized High Court Division to expedite corruption, illegal mining and asset recovery cases is a significant step toward strengthening accountability. In The Gambia, the appointment of a Special Prosecutor and the establishment of a Special Criminal Division in the High Court, is a positive step towards ensuring transitional justice. In Senegal, following national dialogues in 2024 and 2025, reform efforts have continued, including the ongoing constitutional reform. In Mauritania, a national dialogue is on the agenda.
In several countries, especially in the central Sahel, authorities have introduced new regulatory frameworks for the exercise of political and civic freedoms and the functioning of associations and public actors. These measures reflect, in part, an intention by the authorities to strengthen state authority during a period of transition and heightened insecurity, though anxieties and criticisms by political parties and civil societies groups are mounting. While timelines for a return to constitutional order remain unclear in the three central Sahel countries, the need to ensure stability, accountability and the rule of law, as well as respect for human rights and inclusive governance remain.
Mr. President of the Council,
Distinguished members of the Council,
Security responses alone will not be sufficient. To successfully address the root causes of instability,investments are needed in the social, economic and environmental foundations of peace.
That is why UNOWAS has continued to work across a range of regional priorities. In January, we convened a dialogue on water diplomacy with the region’s major basin organizations, United Nations entities and regional institutions, reaffirming water cooperation as a tool for conflict prevention, climate resilience and regional integration, ahead of the 2026 United Nations Water Conference. We have also continued supporting the implementation of the Yaoundé Maritime SecurityArchitecture, recognizing that insecurity on land and insecurity at sea are part of the same wider ecosystem of organized crime and illicit trafficking. Together with UNODC, we also convened a dialogue between youth and government authorities in Dakar on emerging drugs,youth and security, highlighting the growing risks posed by the proliferation of new drugs and their implications for social cohesion, public health and terrorism financing.
We have also seen positive examples of holistic national action to address the root causes of some of these challenges. In northern Togo, I was able to witness the positive impact on security by combining security measures with development and humanitarian interventions, led by the government with the UN support.
Mr. President of the Council,
Distinguished members of the Council,
For this year, the economy of the region is projected to grow by about five per cent in average, with strong growth in countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, The Gambia Niger, andSenegal. However, domestic and external debt burdens, inflation, national security expenditures, shrinking fiscal space and external shocks continue to mitigate the social impact these gains. Fighting poverty and vulnerability must therefore remain a common objective, in the broader fight against terrorism.
The Cameroon–Nigeria Mixed Commission is in the final phase of implementing the 2002 International Court of Justice judgment, with steps toward demarcating the last 36 Km of the border under preparation. This is an example of how patient and principled engagement can transform potentially divisive issues into a framework for cooperation. In a related development, Ghana’s decision to refer its maritime dispute with Togo to arbitration, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is another welcome affirmation that international law is a viable and constructive path for peaceful dispute settlement.
Mr. President,
Members of the Council,
UNOWAS remains fully committed to implementing its mandate in support of peace, constitutional governance and regional cooperation in West Africa and the Sahel. Following the letter of the President of the Security Council of 19 February 2026 welcoming the Secretary-General's decision to conduct an Independent Strategic Review of the UNOWAS mandate and activities, the review process has started, led by the former President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mme. Sahle-Work Zewde. We look forward to its conclusions and recommendations, as an important contribution to make UNOWAS more adapted to evolving realities of West Africa and the Sahel and consolidate the relevance of the United Nations in the region.
In concluding, I want to express our gratitude for the support UNOWAS continues to receive from the Council.
I thank you for your kind attention.
