Weak border control in the Sahel profiting terrorist groups, UN warns

Laxity in controlling movements of people and goods in the Sahel is profiting transnational criminal groups and terrorist organisations in and outside the region, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said.

UNDP Country Director for Nigeria, Samuel Bwalya stressed that the weaknesses in border management are fueling criminality and banditry, violent extremism, and terrorism in the Sahel region and beyond.

He was speaking yesterday at a Sub-Regional Symposium for the Launch of the Evaluation Report of the Small Arms and Light Weapons Projects in the Sahel and neighbouring countries held in Abuja.

He said small arms proliferation is impeding the region’s economic development and called for a sustained action in addressing the transnational challenges.

The symposium aims at evaluating and developing a common strategy in the fight against small arms in the region. He said the draft action plan should be a reference point for institutional and nongovernmental actors including international partners in support to regional effort on management of small arms.

In her remarks, ECOWAS Commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, Mrs Halimat Ahmed, said the efforts would promote a better understanding of the challenges posed by small arms proliferation and the inter-linkages of international crimes.