Credit:  Gary Raynaldo /  ©Diplomatic Times / United Nations  Secretary-General António Guterres at UN world headquarters in New York,  file photo.

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TIMES

UNITED NATIONS –  NEW YORK –  As the world focuses on the U.S-Iran conflict and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the West African  Sahel  region is locked in the grip of unprecedented terrorist violence. Terrorist-attack casualties in Burkina Faso Mali and Niger have surged five-fold since 2016 – with more than 4,000 deaths reported in 2019 alone as compared to some 770 three years earlier. Seven children and four women were among 14 civilians killed when a roadside bomb blew up their bus in northwestern Burkina Faso just this week.  Meanwhile,  UN Secretary General António Guterres  issued a compassion plea this week for the U.S. and Iran to de-escalate tensions, and pledged to  “continue his active engagement”  in an effort to avert full-scale war.  To some,  it seems as if the relentless terrorist violence in West Africa is being ignored by the UN as it focuses on Iran, Iraq and Syria. The top UN official in West Africa and the Sahel Wednesday described a devastating, “unprecedented” surge in terrorist violence across the region. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, briefed the Security Council meeting on peace consolidation in West Africa at UN world headquarters.     Is not the devastating situation in the West Africa, Sahel  a priority for the UN Secretary General?

West Africa,  Sahel To Remain a Priority of the UN Secretary‑General:   Spokesperson 

“…I think it (West Africa, Sahel) is very much a priority.  He (Secretary-General Guterres) has been speaking about it almost from the beginning of his mandate. In 2017, we went to Nairobi, and I remember him making a big push for the G5 Sahel force to receive predictable funding.  That has not happened.  And we know that the lack of predictable funding and support to those forces has had a negative impact on their ability to do their work,”

-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said during a press briefing  Thursday at UN world headquarters in New York. 

UN Chief Condemns Northern Mali Rocket Attack on  UN Base that Injured 18 Peacekeepers

Twenty persons were wounded Thursday in northern Mali’s Kidal region, including 18 UN peacekeepers from Chad,  in a terrorist rocket attack on a military base for UN, French and Malian forces.  Six peacekeepers from the UN MINUSMA  mission were seriously wounded.  “The Mission immediately organized medical evacuations and security reinforcements.  We strongly condemn the attack that took place on the camp,”  UNSG spokesman Dujarric said.

“MINUSMA has a very specific mandate that operates only in Mali.  It is not a counter‑insurgency anti‑terrorist force.  It is a peacekeeping mission.  There are international forces in Mali.  There are international forces in other parts of the Sahel.  The national forces are very much involved. The UN Mission is taking a huge amount of casualties in that fight.  And, of course, the people who are paying the highest price are civilians from Burkina Faso to Mali to Niger.  We’ve seen it all over the region.  I think Mr. Chambas, who represents the Secretary‑General, was extremely eloquent and powerful in speaking about the challenges of the Sahel.  So, yes, it is very much and will remain a priority of the Secretary‑General.”

UNSG spokesman Dujarric stated.