On 7 July, the newly appointed SRSG for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Leonardo Santos Simão, paid a virtual courtesy call on the SRSG to the AU and Head of UNOAU, Parfait Onanga-Ayanga. The two SRSGs underscored the need to strengthen collaboration and coordination between UNOAU and UNOWAS in supporting the AU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in dealing with peace and security challenges at the continental and at the sub-regional levels.

Both SRSGs shared concerns about the various developments that continue to threaten peace and security on the continent and in the Western Africa sub-region, including unconstitutional changes of government in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea. They discussed the threats of terrorism, violent extremism, organized crime, as well as the impact of climate change resulting in a dire humanitarian situation in the Sahel region. SRSG Simão stated that his initial focus since assumption of duties had been to support the AU’s and ECOWAS’ efforts to advance the complex political transitions in Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

The SRSG to the AU and Head of UNOAU encouraged SRSG Simão to take advantage of the upcoming ECOWAS Summit in Guinea Bissau to meet with the AU and ECOWAS leadership and discuss alternative security mechanisms to support Mali’s security challenges.  He expressed optimism that the AU and ECOWAS would be prepared to support an African owned and led security initiative, which could explore funding opportunities from the UN and partners, against the backdrop of the ongoing consultations in the Security Council on the basis of the recently issued UN Secretary-General report on financing AU Peace Support Operations (PSOs).