The UN Security Council delegation visiting Niger on Monday assured that it was dealing
"very actively"
with the situation in the Sahel faced with the atrocities of jihadist groups which are destabilizing the region.
"The Security Council is dealing very closely, very actively with the situation in the (Sahel) region"
and
"is in support of peace and stability in the region: we will continue to do so, to try to to help you, to help Mali as much as possible, ”
declared Nicolas de Rivière, French Ambassador to the UN.
Read alsoSahel: why is Russia interested in the Malian issue?
According to him,
"the essential message is that Niger, like Mali, can count on France"
, he assured during a press conference held after a working session with the Nigerien president, Mohamed Bazoum. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, another country in the Sahel, have for years been the theaters of jihadist and community violence that have left thousands dead and displaced. The “three border zone” between the three states has become a den of jihadist groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Islamic State (IS).
The UN delegation, which is co-headed by Niger's ambassador to the United Nations, Abdou Abarry, and his French counterpart Nicolas de Rivière, notably includes the American ambassador, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. She went to Bamako on Saturday and Sunday to push Mali to return to civilian power after two putschs in nine months in this country.
“The Sahel region is exposed to all challenges. This is where the challenges lie in the fight against terrorism, the humanitarian issue, the impact of climate change, good governance, ”
Abdou Abarry told AFP.
"The situation in the Sahel remains very fragile"
, added Nicolas de Rivière, referring to
"the stabilization of Mali"
and the need to
"discuss how to support the efforts of the G5 Sahel countries to ensure their security".
In Mali, the UN Security Council also wants electoral deadlines to be respected, after the two putschs of August 2020 and May 2021. The ECOWAS (Community of West African States) imposed elections in Mali on the 27th. February 2022, but the authorities believe that a postponement of a few weeks or months is not to be ruled out, the important thing being their credibility.
At the same time, the NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for pressure on the Malian authorities to open investigations into executions and disappearances attributed to the security forces.
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