Faith Nyasuguta
In a powerful address to the United Nations General Assembly this week, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye criticized the UN Security Council for its lack of action in addressing the ongoing crisis in the Sahel region. His speech highlighted the severe consequences of the Council’s inertia, which has led to widespread deaths and destabilization in the area.
The Sahel, a region stretching across Africa just south of the Sahara Desert, has been plagued by violence and instability for years. The rise of jihadist groups, coupled with political turmoil in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has created a humanitarian crisis.
President Faye emphasized that the Security Council’s failure to act decisively has exacerbated these issues, allowing foreign powers to exploit the region’s instability for their own interests.
“We cannot accept that the Sahel becomes the scene of rivalries between foreign powers, whose clashes only aggravate the destabilization of the region,” Faye stated. He stressed that peace and security in Africa are integral to global stability and called on the Security Council to fulfill its role as the guarantor of international peace.
Faye’s speech also touched on other critical issues facing the global community. He called for a ceasefire in Gaza and condemned unfair economic practices that hinder the prosperity of countries in the Global South. He pointed out the detrimental effects of illegal commerce and tax evasion on developing nations.
The president also addressed the climate crisis, urging developed nations to take responsibility for their historical contributions to environmental degradation. He called for increased efforts to finance a “just and equitable transition” to sustainable practices, emphasizing that protecting the planet should not come at the expense of the development rights of vulnerable nations.
Faye’s remarks come at a time when the Sahel region is experiencing significant geostrategic changes. The withdrawal of Western military forces, following a series of military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, has left a power vacuum that jihadist groups have been quick to fill. This has led to an increase in violence and displacement, further straining the already fragile states in the region.
In addition to his critique of the Security Council, Faye called for greater representation of African nations in multilateral institutions. He argued that Africa’s voice must be heard in global decision-making processes to ensure that the continent’s unique challenges and perspectives are adequately addressed.
Faye’s speech was a stark reminder of the urgent need for international cooperation and decisive action to address the crises facing the Sahel and other regions. His call to the UN Security Council to step up its efforts emphasizes the importance of global solidarity in tackling the complex and interconnected issues of our time.
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