On Tuesday, August 2, 2023, the top UN envoy for the region highlighted the potential deterioration of the security situation in wider West Africa if the crisis in Niger remains unresolved.
The UN secretary-general’s special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, addressed reporters via video teleconference from Accra, Ghana, expressing concern over the unfolding crisis.
“The unfolding crisis, if not addressed, will exacerbate the deteriorating security situation in the region,” Leonardo Santos Simão, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for West Africa and the Sahel, told reporters at the UN headquarters in New York via video teleconference from Accra, Ghana.
Simão emphasized that failing to address the crisis in Niger could exacerbate the region’s already deteriorating security landscape.
Additionally, the situation will have adverse effects on the development and well-being of the population in Niger, where 4.3 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.
As the head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Simão offered support for the efforts made by the Economic Community of West African States to restore democratic order in Niger.
He issued a warning that without appropriate measures, the risk of increased terrorism spreading throughout the region is highly likely.
On the same note, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern regarding the reports of the arrest of several members of Niger’s government. Guterres urgently called for strict adherence to Niger’s international human rights obligations and the prompt restoration of constitutional order.
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are determined to continue providing vital aid to the vulnerable segments of Niger’s population.
To ensure the continuation of this crucial assistance, all parties involved must create a conducive operating environment.