Leonardo Santos Simo, the head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, provided the UN Security Council with an update on the situation in those regions.
Simo stated on Tuesday that in order to establish sustainable peace, “concrete, practical, and long-term support from the area and beyond” will be needed. Simo described the Sahel crisis as the culmination of complicated conditions.
Simo urged all parties to contribute to upholding the security of receiving nations and the dignity of refugees. In the Sahel, 6.3 million people are reportedly displaced, according to the spokesman.
Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Economic Community of West African States, also addressed the Security Council on Tuesday and urged its members for support regarding issues of food insecurity and a transition to constitutional order in three countries of the region currently under military rule.
Touray warned that 30 million people are in need of food assistance and that without adequate support that number could increase to 42 million by the end of next month.
