U.N. special representative for the geographic region of the Sahel and West Africa, Leonardo Simão brings to attention the need to combat terrorism and organized crime that has become a “pervasive threat” in the volatile region of Sahel, that is spilling over to West African coastal countries. These violent extremist groups are linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State. Concerns culminate from man aspects, as Simão describes the crimes of these organizations, “It’s drugs, it’s weapons, it’s human beings, it’s mineral resources, and even food,” (Simão). Civilian deaths have accumulated throughout the beginning of the year, with the majority of those deaths occurring in states such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. In response to these continued Terrorist attacks, the ruling military juntas announced a joint security forces to fight terrorism, in March. Subsequently, the three countries are increasingly cutting ties with U.S. military and allying with Russia on the current joint security challenges. In addition, the three juntas left the Economic Community of West African States, also known as ECOWAS, and created their own security partnership: the Alliance of Sahel States. There are many differing opinions on the intervention and decisions made thus far, many urging further U.N. presence. The Russian deputy ambassador, Anna Evstigneeva, celebrate the efforts of the allied African states, but states accusations of “Western donors of limiting assistance for ‘political reasons,” (Evstigneeva). This rise in violence could possibly be accounted for from the U.N.s ending its 10-year peacekeeping mission in Mali in December 2023, at the junta’s insistent. The U.S. military is also set to conclude its withdrawal from Niger, upon the junta’s request by Sept. 15. These terrorist and organized crime predicament hitting the area has been reported to have more than 6.2 million people internally displaced, 630,000 refugees in April, and 32.9 million people faced food insecurity because of this humanitarian crisis.
This article is important for others to read because of its large regional effect on not only the Sahel regions, put as the internally disorganization and security crisis continues to grow, the conflict is beginning to spread to West African coastal states. It is also important to understand and emphasize the attempt from the African States to unite and not rely on other foreign States or IGOs when it comes to addressing this internal security issue. This current distancing of these States are not currently working in the favor of these governments or the people who are being attacked, displaced, or are experiencing food scarcity. This dis-attachment from Western-powers, while were called for by the own states/juntas, but I believe because of the lack of infrastructure and guidance on how to handle these terrorist or organized crime units, these governments attempts to squash these illegal actors are so far, unsuccessful.
Seeing this occurring, Western-States/powers may be tempted to interfere, but to follow the wishes of the States, this intervention will most likely not occur. The internal weakness within these multiple states may create a possibility of more terrorist and organized crime organization. If the current governments are not able to secure their borders, economies, or people, it makes it just as easy for other actors, most likely terrorist, to infiltrate these states and create a even more state of chaos. The terrorist groups and organized crime that are present in Sahel are referred to as other actors, specifically Terrorist/criminal groups. Other actors are individuals and non-aligned organizations with the ability to have a direct effect on international affairs. Terrorist/Criminal groups operate to accomplish a nationalists, ideological, economic, or religious goal outside the control of the state.