Ambassador Abdou Abarry (left), new Permanent Representative of the Repulic of Niger to the United Nations, presents his credentials to Secretary-General António Guterres at UN world headquarters 04 June 2019. Ambassador Abarry is President of the Security Council in September 2020.

By Gary Raynaldo   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –  NEW  YORK –  NIGER officially took over as President of the UN Security Council Tuesday for the month of September with a theme of maintaining peace and international security.   Ambassador Abdou Abarry, Permanent Representative of Niger to the UN and President of the Security Council in September 2020 laid out the Council’s programme of work for the month during a press conference .  The presidency of the council is held by each of the members for one month, following the English alphabetical order of the member states’ names.   West African nation  Niger follows Indonesia  which held the presidency the month of August.  While the Security Council is expected to continue to work largely remotely, due to COVID-19 restrictions, it plans to hold some meetings—including adoptions—on UN premises.  Niger has chosen to hold four meetings focused on its areas of priority. It is organising a debate on the role of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) in peace and security, with briefings expected from the Secretary-General of the OIF, Louise Mushikiwabo, the UN Secretariat and civil society. A debate on children and armed conflict and attacks against schools, with a focus on the Sahel region, is also planned. The anticipated briefers are Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba and UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. A child civil society representative may also brief.  Meetings are also scheduled for Libya, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan.

NIGER Elected To UN Security Council –  Niger Now In Key Position To Work For  True Stabilization of Violent, Terror-Strife SAHEL 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo   ©Diplomatic Times /  Kalla Ankourao, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Niger, UN General Assembly June 7, 2019.

NIGER also secured a seat on the United Nations Security Council this year.   Last September,  the UN General Assembly elected five countries to the Security Council, including Niger, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Estonia, Tunisia, Viet Nam. The five non-permanent members were elected for two-year terms on the Security Council starting on 1 January 2020.  Niger secured one of the two seats for the African Group, the other went to Tunisia. The two African nations took over from Côte d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea. 

So, now what can the world expect from Niger?  Well, first of all Niger is facing  two of the most important issues confronting West Africa at the moment: The deteriorating security situation in the region and the  Sahel; Military Coup Against Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta,

Make no mistake about it, Niger is now looked upon by international players as a strategic partner and a key state in the stabilization of the Sahel region.  – But Will Niger Take Action and Use Its Power on UN Security Council? 

The West Africa Sahel  region is facing the most serious political, economic crisis in recent memory.  The Sahel has been plagued by violence by Islamist terrorist, ethnic violence, which has been made worse by the COVID 19 pandemic by draining vital economic resources. On top of that, a  military coup forced out the President of Mali, causing political chaos that is most certain to spread to surrounding west African nations. The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc  held an extraordinary summit Friday to propose measures to help resolve the escalating political crisis in Mali following a military coup that forced President Keïta to resign August 18.  At the  conclusion of the video summit,  ECOWAS  called on the miliaty junta “to initiate a civil transition immediately” in Mali.  Following the military coup,  ECOWAS  moved to suspend Mali from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies with immediate effect, in accordance with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, until the effective restoration of constitutional order.   Niger must take a leadership role on the UN Security Council to resolve the crisis in the Sahel, or the  whole region could explode in political violence. 

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast is the scene of violence and anger over current President Ouattara decision to seek Thrid Term:

Several people  were killed in recent violent confrontations in Ivory Coast amid anger over President Alassane Ouattara’s decision to run for a third term many condemn as “illegal” and against the west African nation’s constitution.  President Ouattara shocked the country last month when he formally accepted the nomination of the ruling party to be its candidate in October’s election.

Niger holds the presidency of the Economic Community of West African States.  Niger also holds the key positions of Permanent Secretary of the G5 Sahel and Commander of the Joint G5 Sahel Force.

Credit: ECOWAS /    H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, President of Republic of Niger and Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government , Ouagadougou,  Burkina Faso,  14th September 2019.

African Ambassadors Call For More Action To End Terror Attacks in SAHEL

Credit:  By Gary Raynaldo  /  Ambassador of Niger to the United States Abdallah Wafy (left),  Ambassador  of Mauritania  to the U.S.  Ba  Samba  Mamadou,  and  Second Adviser of the Embassy of Mali in the U.S. Ibrahima  Biridogo , participate in the  Africa Center for Strategic Studies  roundtable, “Strategies for Peace and Security in the Sahel” at National Defense University in Washington D.C. Sept. 9, 2019.

“Ten years ago, there were no foreign troops in Mali. Now there are many.  (UN) MINUSMA costs $1 Billion per year. After six years and $6 Billion,  we still have the problem of terrorism. Also France spends $700 million per  year for its Operation Barkhane. But the situation (in Sahel) is deteriorating. The region is still a sanctuary for terrorists.  We should divert these funds to those who are able to do the job. The UN can not deal with a terrorist threat.  MINUSMA is a peacekeeping operation. MINUSMA is not designed to fight terrorists. We are going to address this issue at the UN Security Council next year. As of January 2020, Niger will be on the UN Security Council.”

-Ambassador of Niger to the United States Abdallah Wafy –  Sep. 09, 2019.

“Today the Sahel is at a crucial point in the fight against terrorism. Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, have been hit hard with attacks.  And tomorrow, other countries could be attacked.  The war against terrorism can be won by an adequate response at the right time.  The expansion of terror across the Sahel will really put a stop to Africa progress, particularly women’s rights, and development. I’d like to call on the United States to mobilize more strongly to fight terrorism in the Sahel”.

-Ambassador of Chad to the United States Gali Koutou.

Meanwhile,  Fury in Niger at French travel warning after deadly attack

 In Niger,  anger is still seething nearly a week after the former colonial ruler issued a stern warning against travel to the West African country,  AFP reports.

‘Some have been quick to portray the move as a slap by a former ruler which prefers to see Niger in terms of a logistics point for its anti-jihadist campaign’

“If France goes so far as to classify Niger as a red zone, then it’s very simple: they close their embassy and their military base.” -AFP

AFRICAN UNION CONGRATULATES  NIGER ON UN SC   PRESIDENCY:

Congratulations to Niger 🇳🇪 for taking on rotating Presidency of the #UNSC for the month of September.

Best of luck and success!@Niger_ONU @UN @PresidenceNiger #AfricanGroupNY pic.twitter.com/M1URNZnbuz

— African Union Mission to the UN (@AfricanUnionUN) September 1, 2020

Niger can either make or break the Sahel, West Africa in its UN Security Council Term.  Stay tuned.  Africa will be watching Niger very closely.