In a statement on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed his “grave worry” about the advancements terrorist organisations are making in the Sahel and elsewhere.
During a Security Council discussion on counterterrorism that Mozambique, this month’s council president, requested, Guterres read prepared remarks.
No one is exempt, regardless of their age, culture, religion, nationality, or geography, but the situation in Africa is particularly alarming. Despair, hunger, lack of access to basic amenities, unemployment, and illegitimate political changes continue to provide an ideal environment for terrorist organisations to spread slowly over the continent and infect new regions. The advancements terrorist organisations are making in the Sahel and elsewhere genuinely worry me.
The meeting was presided over by President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi of Mozambique, who stated that the situation in Africa is particularly dire because terrorist organisations rely on illegal activity for revenue and recruitment.
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“The association of terrorism with transnational organized crime has contributed for the survival and spread of terrorist groups. On the context of the African continent, they have generally resorted to trafficking of mineral resources with emphasis on gemstones and illicit drug trafficking for the funding of their activities through money laundering. These financial resources resulting from illicit activities support the seduction and recruitment of the youth in joining their ranks and files within terrorist groups. And while terrorism is a global threat, the situation in Africa is particularly critical.”
U.K. Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations James Kariuki suggested the use of UN sanctions as a solution: “As we work to cut off the funding of terrorism, we encourage greater use of U.N. sanctions regimes on the continent of Africa, whilst ensuring continued delivery of humanitarian assistance to states responding to crises.”
“We deeply, deeply value our cooperation with regional partners on the al-Shabab sanctions regime. We have used this to continue tightening the norms on al-Shabab, including through sponsoring the designation of individuals associated with that group,” Kariuki added.
