UK urges regional action on Sahel terrorism at UN
Headlines about West Africa and the Sahel can feel both distant and urgent. If you’re teaching this topic this week, here’s the shorthand: in a statement to the UN Security Council, the UK government warned that groups linked to Islamic State and al‑Qaeda are expanding and refining their methods. One example it cited was a fuel blockade in Mali imposed by the al‑Qaeda‑affiliated group JNIM.
Why is this a regional story? Armed groups move across borders, trade routes and online spaces. The UK’s first argument to the Council was practical: security and political cooperation among neighbours is essential. That means leaders speaking regularly, coordinating plans, and backing regional organisations that can act quickly when violence escalates.
London welcomed deeper dialogue between ECOWAS members and the Alliance of Sahel States, and highlighted the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) for helping to keep those lines open. The aim is fewer rival plans and more joined‑up action that protects communities sooner rather than later.
Quick definitions for your students: ECOWAS is a group of West African countries that works on trade, free movement and regional stability. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) brings together the military‑led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger for mutual defence and coordination. UNOWAS is a UN political mission that supports dialogue, elections and conflict prevention in the region.
The UK also pointed to region‑led security initiatives. It encouraged work towards a standby force able to deploy rapidly when threats cross borders, and it wants to build on what already exists, including the Multinational Joint Task Force around the Lake Chad Basin and ECOWAS’s Counter‑Terrorism Strategy. It also noted that Security Council Resolution 2719 offers a pathway for UN backing to African Union‑led peace operations.
Two more quick explainer lines: the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) draws personnel from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin to counter Boko Haram and ISIS‑West Africa along shared borders. Resolution 2719, adopted by the Security Council, created a framework for UN support to African Union missions on a case‑by‑case basis, which could make resources more predictable when regional actors lead.
The second UK message was about practical support. According to the UK government, current programmes include funding and training for Nigeria’s National Counter‑Terrorism Centre, Côte d’Ivoire’s Counter Terrorism Academy, and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit that serves the MNJTF. The connective tissue is information sharing, skills and resilience so officers in different capitals can spot and stop threats faster.
If you’re building a lesson, think of this as a systems map: a plot planned in one country can be detected in another, disrupted by a joint team, and prosecuted under national law. That only works if people know whom to call, understand evidence standards, and protect civilian rights during operations. Training academies and fusion centres aim to make those routines normal rather than exceptional.
The UK also urged governments to choose security partners carefully. Some partnerships can inflame tensions if contractors or forces act with impunity or ignore local grievances. Good partners support professional standards, accountability and community trust, which helps security gains last.
The third point was about causes, not just symptoms. The UK argued that defeating terrorism requires better governance, poverty reduction, countering disinformation, safeguarding civic space and tackling climate stress. When basic services are weak, youth unemployment is high or voices are silenced, armed groups find it easier to recruit and control territory.
Behind the geopolitics are everyday lives. Conflict and blockades cut off fuel, food and medicine, push families from their homes, and close classrooms and clinics. The UK underlined that women and children are often hit hardest, whether through displacement, loss of income, or heightened risks of violence on the move.
What to watch next if you’re following this with students: whether ECOWAS and AES can keep channels open; how a proposed standby force is designed and funded; and how Resolution 2719 is used to support African Union‑led missions while protecting civilians. The big learning point is that security operations matter, but long‑term safety grows when governments also invest in fairness, opportunity and climate resilience.