Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and United Nations Political and Peacebuilding Departments Consult Ahead of the Security Council Briefing

Western Africa Division (DPPA-DPO WAD), co -convene consultative session between Permanent Representatives of West African Countries at the UN and Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), in New York on the 2nd of April 2025.

The session preceded the SRSG‘s briefing, on the 3rd of April 2025, to the Security Council where he presented the UN Secretary General’s report on Peace consolidation in West Africa and the activities of UNOWAS.

The report to the UN Security Council highlighted the evolving challenges to regional security, integration and the unity of West Africa and underscored the critical need for the region’s leaders and stakeholders to continue efforts towards preserving and building on the gains of decades of cooperation, including within the framework of ECOWAS.

The report further identified regional security cooperation as a priority and recommended continued support for the Multinational Joint Task Force operating in the Lake Chad basin, the Accra Initiative and the ECOWAS Standby Force as critical components to combat terrorism and organized crime in the region.

In her intervention at the consultative session, Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, ECOWAS Permanent Observer to the United Nations, provided an overview of ECOWAS’ initiatives and ongoing collaboration with UNOWAS while emphasizing the Commission’s unrelentless efforts towards strengthening integration for sustainable development, peace and stability in the region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).