Statement by Deputy Permanent Representative Anna Evstigneeva at a UNSC Briefing on the Activities of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel
Mr. President,
We would like to thank Mr. Barrie Freeman, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel. We are grateful for his briefing on the current situation in the region and the activities of UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) over the past five months. We support the work done by the Office and its head, Mr. Leonard Simao, as per their existing mandate.
Russia has invariably attached great significance to cooperation with West African countries. We welcome the willingness of the members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and UNOWAS to recommit to earlier agreements and incrementally restore relations on a mutually beneficial basis. If this momentum is maintained and the parties remain disposed to pay due regard to each other's legitimate interests, we can fully expect to see the restoration of the trust that was previously lost, which is so necessary today for the countries of the region to jointly counter common terrorist threats.
At the same time, we remain seriously concerned by the increased activity of terrorist groups in the Sahara-Sahel region: they carry out regular attacks targeting both soldiers and civilians, they recruit children and young people, and continue receiving financial support from the illegal trafficking of drugs, weapons and minerals, and kidnapping. Terrorist organizations are gradually bringing the states of the Gulf of Guinea (inter alia Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo) into their fold. The fighters are seeking to control not only populated areas, but also supply routes.
For our part, we strongly condemn any terrorist manifestations, regardless of ideological or religious motives behind them.
We regret to note that a number of external actors are seeking to turn the region into a springboard for the implementation of their own parochial geopolitical and economic misadventures. The widespread information campaign aimed at sowing panic among the civilian population and undermining the credibility of local authorities is something that deserves our condemnation. We consider such activities to be in the interests of terrorist groups.
Despite attempts by fighters to impose an energy blockade on Mali, we would like to highlight Bamako's successes in establishing regular fuel supplies and comprehensive security for the country, which has been made possible in part owing to the support of the Russian military. And undoubtedly this support will continue.
We are convinced that lasting peace can only be achieved if there is consolidated support from the international community for the efforts of the AES, which is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism in the region and embodies just aspirations of the peoples of the Sahel. We note the efforts to achieve combat readiness of the 5,000-strong AES Joint Force. The Sahelians have conducted a series of successful joint operations, during which terrorists have suffered serious losses.
We call for continued dialogue between UNOWAS and the AES. We are confident that regional counterterrorism initiatives, including the implementation of the financial framework of Security Council Resolution 2719, cannot be fully effective without the consent and participation of the Sahel Trio.
The situation in northeastern Nigeria in the Lake Chad basin remains tense due to ongoing terrorist attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Problems also persist in Chad, whose authorities are compelled to cope not only with terrorist fighters, but also with the influx of refugees from neighboring Sudan.
Moscow is alarmed by domestic political instability in a number of States of West Africa and the overall crisis situation in the region. We are closely following the developments in Guinea-Bissau in the aftermath of November general (presidential and parliamentary) elections. We believe that the path towards stabilization should lie solely through dialogue between all political forces, and within the framework of law and order. We also urge to abandon the practice of using sanctions and excluding countries from regional structures, which will do nothing but exacerbate the political situation and the suffering of the civilian population. Examples abound.
We welcome the prompt steps taken to resolve the crisis in Benin and restore constitutional order. We note the concerted efforts by UNOWAS to quell the rebels' actions. We do hope that the attempted coup will not disrupt preparations for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Benin.
We call on the political forces of the countries in the region to exercise restraint and ensure broad national dialogue to resolve sovereign issues. Attempts by foreign powers to interfere in the region's affairs are counterproductive. We would like to recall that it is for the Africans themselves to decide what is beneficial and what is not in terms of counterterrorism or pursuing political and economic development. They are guided by the opinion of their people and their needs, as they are directly accountable to them.
As we are approaching the renewal of the UNOWAS mandate, we reiterate our support for defining clear, concise, and carefully balanced powers. We call on Council members to focus the Office's efforts on establishing international, regional, and subregional cooperation, strengthening political ties, and carefully considering the priorities and humanitarian needs of recipient countries. Any vague objectives that are divorced from reality, such as the promotion of human rights, gender equality and preventive measures, will be met with hostility by States and will undermine their trust in the United Nations.
Thank you.
