United Nations Office for West Africa

Expected Council Action
The semi-annual report of the UN Office in West Africa (UNOWA) is expected in June. The mandate expires on 31 December 2010.

Recent Developments
On 21 December 2007, UNOWA’s mandate was renewed from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010 through an exchange of letters between the UN Secretary-General and the president of the Security Council (letters S/2007/754 and S/2007/753). While retaining the overarching goal of enhancing UN contribution towards peace and security in West Africa, the mandate was revised to highlight specific objectives, functions and activities, including:

• supporting and liaising with major stakeholders in implementing sub-regional plans, strategies and recommendations drawn up by the Economic Community of West African States and other key partners;
• conducting its good offices role to prevent conflict and in peacebuilding efforts; and
• preparing periodic updates on the impact of conflicts on the sub-region; and organising studies, fora and seminars to assist in developing practical and concerted strategies to address current and emerging issues (including drug and arms trafficking, transitional justice and security sector reform).

In its letter to the Secretary-General, the Council asked for semi-annual reports on UNOWA’s fulfilment of its revised mandate.

On 26 February, Said Djinnit of Algeria was appointed as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and Head of UNOWA by an exchange of letters (S/2008/128 and S/2008/127) between the Secretary-General and the president of the Council. Djinnit visited Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Senegal where issues including the global food crisis and insecurity in the Sahelian region were discussed as part of his initial consultations with regional leaders.

Key Issues
The key issue for the Council whether the refinement of UNOWA will be successful in producing up-to-date, expert information from UNOWA on the regional dimensions of peace and security in West Africa. Perennial cross-border issues such as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons are expected to be addressed in the Secretary-General’s report. But it may also highlight relatively newer elements like the growth of organised drug trafficking and regional security threats potentially posed by the global food crisis.

Options
Options for the Council include:

• issuing a press statement highlighting pertinent issues raised in the Secretary-General’s report;
• considering the Secretary-General’s report without making any statement;
• utilising the discussion of the report to exchange views on fragile situations not on the Council’s agenda but subsumed under the regional mandate of UNOWA (e.g. Guinea, or the Tuareg insurgency in the Sahelian countries of Mali and Niger); and
• a more formal statement encouraging collaboration between the Peacebuilding Commission and UNOWA in consolidating peace in the West African sub-region.

Council Dynamics
In December 2007, the Council requested more frequent reports in order to be more regularly informed about the work of UNOWA and assuage concerns of some countries (including the US) about the continued utility of the office. (The Secretary-General had originally proposed a three-year extension of the mandate, subject to a midterm review in line with past practice. However, the Council called for semi-annual reports in a marked departure from previous practice.)

Other Relevant Facts

Full forecast