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Leonardo Santos Simão, who is also the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council that it was crucial for the region that the military coalition continue its operations.
The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General has expressed concern over Niger’s decision to withdraw from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNTJF) fighting armed Islamist groups in West Africa.
Leonardo Santos Simão, who is also the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council that it was crucial for the region that the military coalition continue its operations.
He said stakeholders at the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, Nigeria, had stressed the importance of continuing diplomatic efforts and financial support to the force. Santos Simão added that the MNTJF is currently the only operational security mechanism in the region. The coalition is mandated to combat the Boko Haram insurgency and also includes Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria.
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This view was echoed by Sierra Leone’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Michael Imran Kanu. He said the evolving security landscape has been marked by growing geopolitical tension while adding that the stability of West Africa and the Sahel must reflect collaborative approaches aligned with the priorities of its people. Sierra Leone is a non-permanent member of the Security Council and a member of UNOWAS.
