Top envoy reveals challenges to democracy faces instability in West Africa
Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 12th Jan. UN Special Representative to the West Africa Leonardo Santos Simão on Thursday revealed a stark contrast towards democracy in the region that shifting political sands throw up contrasting challenges in past 6 months.
Leonardo Santos Simão, briefed the members of the Council said that while some nations have made significant democratic progress and others have been subject to military takeovers, posing wider threats to regional stability.
He said that the presidential election in Liberia and the peaceful transfer of power was a decisive political moment for a country where the memories of the civil war are still very present.
Santos Simão noted upcoming elections in Senegal and Ghana.
He added the post-election events in Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau have seen infighting within security services and highlighted the need to shore up the credibility of institutions and processes of democratic governance in a sustained manner.
Mr. Simão warned of “overlapping conflicts” in Mali, where the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSMA, completed its drawdown on 31 December 2023, marked the culmination of a decade-long effort to support the West African nation.
He said as MINUSMA’s mandate ended, uncertainty looms over elections and Mali’s political transition under the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation.
“Insecurity remains prevalent in large parts of the country, including attacks on military camps and civilians, with swathes of the country currently blockaded by terrorist groups and rising humanitarian needs,” he said.
Mr. Simão said “As we move into a post-MINUSMA Mali, we need to take stock of that decade-long experience and draw lessons required to inform a fast-approaching future. As a legacy of MINUSMA, the UN will continue to maintain a key role in support of the Malian people.”
Simão, head of tthe UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel stressed that the negative impact of climate change in the Sahel region cannot be overstated, with fragile ecosystems bearing the brunt of prolonged droughts and unpredictable rainy seasons.
Mr. Simão noted that extreme weather events are overlapping with the spread of insecurity in the region, exacerbating inter-communal conflicts, increasing social tension, and adding to displacement.
“As wells dry out and lands falls shallow while floods have devastated other areas –t is often women who are bearing the brunt of the vagaries of climate and conflict,” he said.
“It is imperative that women take their place at the instances of decision-making,”
Mr. Simão said that his Office is actively engaged in helping build stability, peace, and democratic governance in the region, and bringing together key stakeholders and help collectively overcome adversities.
He stressed that in this multifaceted landscape, UNOWAS remains steadfast in fostering dialogue and advocating for democratic principles, despite the challenges that loom large on the regional horizon.
