The United Nations warns of the spread of terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel and calls for urgent action.
Written by: Mohamed Ragab
The United Nations has warned that terrorist threats continue to expand in West African and Sahel countries, stressing that armed groups are exploiting the fragility of the security and political situation to expand their operations, at a time when fears are growing that violence will spread to countries that were considered more stable.
The warning came during a briefing given by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for West Africa and the Sahel to the Security Council, where he stressed that the region is facing escalating security challenges that require a collective response and close cooperation between governments and international partners, emphasizing that terrorism is no longer confined to the traditional Sahel countries, but is gradually spreading towards the countries of the West Sahel and the coasts overlooking the Gulf of Guinea.
The expansion of armed groups threatens regional stability.
The United Nations explained that groups linked to al-Qaeda and ISIS have recently intensified their attacks in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, with indications that their activity is expanding towards Benin, Togo and other countries in West Africa, which threatens regional security and further complicates counter-terrorism efforts.
UN officials stressed that the continued weakness of state institutions in some areas, along with political crises, military coups and economic challenges, provides a suitable environment for the activity of extremist groups and the recruitment of new members.
Growing humanitarian and security challenges
The report noted that the escalation of terrorist attacks has caused widespread displacement and exacerbated the humanitarian situation, depriving millions of people of basic services and forcing the closure of schools and health centers in many affected areas.
The United Nations also warned that continued violence is hindering development efforts, undermining investments, and negatively impacting food security and economic stability in the countries of the region, making the fight against terrorism an issue that goes beyond the military aspect to include development, improving services, and strengthening state institutions.
Calls to strengthen regional cooperation
The United Nations called on West African and Sahel governments to strengthen security cooperation and intelligence sharing, coordinate joint operations to pursue armed groups, and provide greater international support for building the capacities of armies and security services.
She also stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of extremism, such as poverty, unemployment and poor public services, as these are factors exploited by terrorist groups to expand their influence within local communities.
The Sahel remains a global hotspot for terrorism.
Despite a relative decline in the number of attacks in some areas during the past year, international reports confirm that the Sahel region still represents a major hotspot for terrorism globally, with the continued activity of the Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and ISIS organizations in the Sahel, and the expansion of their operations across borders.
The United Nations indicates that addressing this threat requires a comprehensive approach that combines security, development and political solutions to ensure the long-term stability of the region.
