Secretary-General, in Message to Sahel Ministerial Coordination Platform, Says International Community Must Strengthen Financial, Technical Support

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message, as delivered by Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Sahel, to the fourth meeting of the Ministerial Coordination Platform of Sahel Strategies, in Bamako today:

I thank the Republic of Mali for organizing this fourth meeting of the Ministerial Coordination Platform of Sahel Strategies, and welcome the efforts of the Malian presidency and regional and international partners to strengthen coordination between the various initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of people in the Sahel.

I welcome the close collaboration between the United Nations and countries of the region as well as regional and international partners, which has enabled the launch of a number of flagship projects in the areas of governance, security and resilience.  Other projects are being finalized and will be launched in the coming months.

I am encouraged by the commitment shown by the Sahel countries to promote peace, security and development in their region.  The establishment of the G5 Sahel [Group of Five for the Sahel] demonstrates the strong mobilization of the five countries and their determination to act in a resolute manner and in synergy with other regional and international organizations, bilateral actors and financial institutions.  This strong regional ownership and the mobilization of all partners will be needed to resolve the multiple structural challenges facing the region.

The Sahel is experiencing an exacerbation of several challenges such as radicalization and violent extremism, illicit trafficking and terrorism.  The region is also facing increasing migration and forced displacement of people, youth unemployment and the need to promote women's full integration in socioeconomic development.  These challenges take place in a regional context of chronic vulnerabilities where malnutrition, food insecurity and epidemics continue to cause loss of lives.

It is imperative that the international community strengthens its support, especially financial and technical, to effectively help the Sahel countries end a multifaceted insecurity that feeds on the absence of concrete development perspectives.

The United Nations, through my Special Envoy for the Sahel, remains committed to promoting good collaboration with national, regional and international partners as provided under the road map adopted at the last Ministerial Coordination Platform meeting of Sahel strategies.

The activities of the United Nations in the Sahel will continue to be guided by the priorities of countries in the region to promote peace, security and development and human rights for the populations of the Sahel.  Thank you.