Credit: un.org/ MINUSMA/Harandane Dicko /  The G5 Sahel HQ destroyed by a terrorist attack on 29 June 2018 in Mopti, Mali. The terror threat in the Sahel  continues unabated despite a massive deployment UN peacekeepers and  French troops tasked with halting jihadist’s attacks. 

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  – NEW   YORK –  Terrorists and other groups in West Africa and the Sahel are seeking to capitalize on the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine state authority and destabilize government with stepped up attacks in the region, according to UN officials.  Intercommunal violence and persistent attacks by extremists, continue to undermine peace and security across West Africa, the UN’s top official in the region warned the Security Council on Thursday, calling for sustained engagement with all partners to urgently advance a holistic approach to peace. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS),   briefed Security Council  members on the situation in West Africa and the  Sahel.  Chambas said that despite “intense and sustained” efforts by concerned countries, violent extremists continue to attack security forces and civilians alike, with children recruited into fighting in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. Presenting his latest report, the UNOWAS chief described security conditions as “extremely volatile”.  In Burkina Faso alone, as of June, 921,000 people have been forced to flee, representing a 92 per cent rise over 2019 figures.  A key focus of the session was on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region. In his 23 June, 2020 report on West Africa and the Sahel, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that he is “deeply” concerned about the impact of the pandemic in West Africa and the  Sahel.

“I am deeply concerned about the impact of the pandemic on the peace, stability and socioeconomic development of the countries of West Africa and the Sahel. I reiterate my appeal for an immediate global ceasefire to reinforce diplomatic action, as well as for debt relief and help in creating conditions for the delivery of life-saving aid and bringing hope to places that are among the most vulnerable to the outbreak.”

-UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Chambas said COVID-19 is only amplifying  conflict drivers in the Sahel, with grave implications for peace and security.  Its disproportionate effect on women and girls has placed them at increased risk of femicide and sexual violence.

The security situation in West Africa and the Sahel has continued to deteriorate

Attacks by terrorist groups and intercommunal conflict continue to destabilise West Africa and the Sahel, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, according to the UN Secretary-General’s report.  The incidence of terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso remained high, affecting predominantly the Sahel and Centre-Nord regions.  Militants affiliated with Ansar alIslam, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara increased their attacks.  In Mali, terrorist attacks and violence along community lines continued, the  reported stated.

“The growing linkages between terrorism, organized crime and intercommunal violence cannot be overemphasized”, he said.  “Terrorists continue to exploit latent ethnic animosities and the absence of the State in peripheral areas to advance their agenda.”

-Mohammed Ibn Chambas, head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS)

He urged the United Nations to remain committed to working with all partners, building national and institutional capacity, improving community resilience, and advocating for good governance, political inclusion, respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law.