The United Kingdom has urged enhanced regional and political cooperation to tackle rising terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel. Speaking at a United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, Ambassador James Kariuki, expressed concern over the expanding influence of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the region and their deadly impact on civilians.
He cited the recent fuel blockade in Mali by Al-Qaeda-affiliate JNIM as an example of increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by terrorist groups. Kariuki stressed that such threats require coordinated regional responses to mitigate their effect on local communities.
“We welcome the increased engagement between states in the region and encourage ECOWAS and AES members to continue deepening dialogue,” Kariuki said. “Regionally-led security initiatives, such as a standby rapid deployment force, the Multinational Joint Taskforce, and ECOWAS’ Counter-Terrorism Strategy, can play a crucial role in countering these threats.”
The ambassador also highlighted the UK’s commitment to African-led security and counter-terrorism programs. This includes funding and training for Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Côte d’Ivoire’s Counter-Terrorism Academy, and the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit supporting the Multinational Joint Taskforce.
He emphasized that these initiatives strengthen intelligence sharing and regional resilience while advising countries to choose security partners carefully.
Kariuki further called for attention to the root causes of extremism, including governance challenges, poverty, disinformation, climate change, and the protection of civic space.
“Without progress in these areas, conflict and terrorism will continue to destroy local communities and disrupt livelihoods, with disproportionate harm to women and children,” he warned.
The Sahel and West Africa have witnessed a significant rise in violent extremism over the past decade, with countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger heavily affected.
Extremist groups exploit weak state presence, porous borders, and local grievances, resulting in frequent attacks on civilians, military personnel, and aid workers, causing thousands of deaths and mass displacement.