By There is an
unprecedented terrorist violence in West Africa, Sahel region, according to new
reports. “The region has
experienced a devastating surge in terrorist attacks against civilian and
military targets,” Mohamed Ibn Chambas, UN Special Representative and Head of
the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Council in its
first formal meeting of the year.
“The humanitarian consequences are alarming”, he
spelled out.
In presenting his latest report, Mr. Chambas
painted a picture of relentless attacks on civilian and military targets that
he said, have “shaken public confidence”.
The UNOWAS
chief elaborated on terrorist-attack casualties in Burkina Faso Mali and Niger,
which have leapt five-fold since 2016 – with more than 4,000 deaths reported in
2019 alone as compared to some 770 three years earlier.
“Most significantly,” he said, “the geographic
focus of terrorist attacks has shifted eastwards from Mali to Burkina Faso and
is increasingly threatening West African coastal States”.
He also flagged that the number of deaths in
Burkina Faso jumped from about 80 in 2016 to over 1,800 last year.
And displacement has grown ten-fold to about half
a million, on top of some 25,000 who have sought refuge in other countries.
Mr. Chambas explained that “terrorist attacks are
often deliberate efforts by violent extremists” to engage in illicit activities
that include capturing weapons and illegal artisanal mining.
Intertwined challenges
Terrorism, organized crime and intercommunal
violence are often intertwined, especially in peripheral areas where the
State’s presence is weak.
“In those places, extremists provide safety and
protection to populations, as well as social services in exchanged for
loyalty”, he informed the Council, echoing the Secretary-General in saying that
for these reasons, “counter-terrorism responses must focus on gaining the trust
and support of local populations”.
The Special Representative outlined that
governments, local actors, regional organizations and the international
community are mobilizing across the region to respond to these challenges.
On 21 December, the ECOWAS Heads of State summit
“adopted a 2020-2024 action plan to eradicate terrorism in the sub-region”, he
said.
Calling “now” the time for action, Mr. Chambas
drew attention to the importance of supporting regional Governments by
prioritizing “a cross-pillar approach at all levels and across all sectors”.
Turning to farmer-herder clashes, which he
maintained are “some of the most violent local conflicts in the region”, the
UNOWAS chief highlighted that 70 per cent of West Africa’s population depend on
agriculture and livestock-rearing for a living, underscoring the importance of
peaceful coexistence.
The Special Representative also pointed to climate
change, among other factors, as increasingly exacerbating farmer-herder conflicts.
“The impact of climate change on security also
spawns a negative relationship between climate change, social cohesion,
irregular migration and criminality in some places”, he upheld.
Stemming negative security trends
The UNOWAS chief noted that in the months ahead,
Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Niger would be
democratically electing their leaders and maintained that “all-too-worrying”
security trends must not distract from political developments.
“Unresolved grievance, incomplete national
reconciliation processes and sentiments of manipulation of institutions and
processes carry risks of tensions and manifestations of political violence”, he
warned.
In the months ahead, Mr. Chambas stressed that
UNOWAS would continue to work with partners on the national and regional levels
to promote consensus and inclusiveness in the elections.
“As UNOWAS’ mandate is renewed, we count on the
Council’s continued full support”, concluded the Special Representative.
