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The United Nations (UN) has warned that terrorist groups are spreading across West Africa and the Sahel, employing sophisticated tactics to threaten stability in the Gulf of Guinea and other coastal states.
Briefing the UN Security Council, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, said terrorist groups continue to pose a serious security threat in northern Nigeria and across the central Sahel.
“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,” Simão said.
The UN envoy also warned that drug trafficking is becoming increasingly intertwined with terrorism.
He decried the lack of humanitarian access in many conflict-affected areas, noting that women, children and young people continue to bear the brunt of the violence, while attacks on schools are threatening the future of entire communities.
Responding to the concerns, Burkina Faso’s ambassador to the United Nations said member states of the Alliance of Sahel States remain committed to restoring peace despite persistent security challenges.
“Burkina Faso and countries of the Alliance of Sahel States have faith in the future. We have already undertaken this struggle and together with our people, we will continue to demonstrate great resilience. The Confederation and the Alliance are open to all dialogue, and we welcome all of the ongoing efforts, particularly the initiatives undertaken by Togo, the African Union and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel.”
