On 6 October 2016, the Permanent Secretary of the G5 Sahel, Mr. Najim Elhadj Mohamed, briefed the UN Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee. The G5 Sahel is an institutional framework for coordination and monitoring of regional cooperation for development and security policies of Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Chad.
In his briefing, Mr. Elhadj Mohamed stressed the importance of regional collaboration and international cooperation for the G5 Sahel as these Member States face challenges that include stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, combatting illicit trafficking, and implementing infrastructure to anticipate security threats. The Permanent Secretary also underscored the need to engage with local communities, civil society, youth, women, and religious leaders in the G5 Sahel’s efforts to counter violent extremism.
Several Counter-Terrorism Committee Member States explicitly expressed their support for the G5 Sahel’s comprehensive approach and commitment to counter terrorism. Security Council Member States-elect also attended the briefing.