Gaza ceasefire deal in ‘closing stages’: US official

N'DJAMENA, Chad: A senior UN official delivered a stark warning earlier this month that terrorism and organized crime by violent extremist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh are escalating into a pervasive threat across West Africa and the Sahel region.

This threat is now spreading to the coastal countries of West Africa, suggesting that the world may be waking up too late to the unfolding crisis.

The statements by Leonardo Simao, the UN Special Representative for the Sahel and West Africa, highlighted an increase in illegal trade in drugs, weapons, mineral resources, people and even food.

In the first half of 2024 alone, hundreds of people have been killed in terrorist attacks, reflecting a dramatic escalation of violence.

This development underlines the complex and multifaceted nature of the challenge. The interweaving of terrorism with organized criminal networks has created a volatile environment where insecurity is the norm.

“This instability is also significant for the international community. As extremist groups tighten their grip, the humanitarian, economic and political fallout threatens to reverberate far beyond Africa's borders,” Moustapha Saleh, a Chadian security expert, told Arab News.

The situation is further aggravated by the recent political upheavals. The G5 Sahel, a French-backed alliance meant to coordinate security and development issues in West Africa, collapsed last year after the withdrawal of the military junta-ruled countries of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

This prompted the United States and other Western countries to help Ghana and neighboring West African coastal nations strengthen their defenses. Although Ghana has yet to face direct militant violence, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast have suffered attacks near their borders in recent years, illustrating the growing threat of regional instability.

Yet aid to West Africa has been lacking compared to aid offered to Ukraine, Ghana's President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said in a recent interview.

US aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion has risen to $113 billion. By contrast, combined aid from the EU, UK and US to the Economic Community of West African States, the bloc known as ECOWAS, has amounted to a relatively paltry $29.6 million over the same period.

“Military regimes often struggle with legitimacy and resources, making them ill-equipped to deal with the sophisticated and well-financed operations of extremist groups. The lack of international military support has left these nations vulnerable, and the consequences are becoming increasingly severe,” said Saleh.

This sudden change has opened the floodgates to a wave of extremism as these countries struggle to fill the security vacuum left by the withdrawal of foreign troops.

Many Sahel countries are now turning away from the West to find an ally to bolster their defenses. The Russian mercenary group Wagner has reportedly deployed contractors and military equipment in several West African countries, including Mali and Burkina Faso, over the past two years.

The human toll of this escalating crisis is staggering. In the first six months of 2024, hundreds of civilians have been killed in terrorist attacks. Societies are being torn apart and the displacement of people is reaching unprecedented levels. Refugee camps are swelling as people flee the violence, resulting in a great need for humanitarian aid.

Furthermore, human trafficking is becoming a critical issue. Vulnerable populations are exploited, sold into slavery or forced into militant groups. Illegal emigration from West African countries to Europe, via the usual migration routes, is on the rise.

At the same time, drug and arms trafficking not only funds extremist operations but also fuels further violence, creating a vicious circle of instability.

The financial consequences are just as serious. A booming illegal trade in mineral resources, which include gold, diamonds and other valuable commodities, is depriving nations of crucial revenue. Instead of financing development and infrastructure, these resources finance terror and crime.

The disruption of legal trade routes due to insecurity has crippled local economies. Farmers and traders find it increasingly difficult to transport goods, leading to food shortages and price increases.

“The broader economic instability discourages foreign investment and stunts development, further entrenching poverty and disenfranchisement,” Saleh said.

Until last year, global support to combat terrorism in the Sahel region was substantial, with contributions from various countries and organizations. The US played a crucial role, with its drone bases in Niger and Burkina Faso and around 1,000 troops in the region.

France was a prominent supporter through its military operations such as Operation Barkhane, headquartered in Chad, involving around 4,000 personnel at its peak. It aimed to secure the region and fight terrorism in cooperation with local forces in Mali, Niger and Chad.

EU training missions and EU capacity-building missions also played a role until the wave of coups caught the region by surprise. Consequently, it becomes impossible for Western governments to continue military cooperation with hostile juntas.

But given the severity of the current crisis, many experts say the world cannot afford to look away. “The international community must realize that the threats emanating from the Sahel and West Africa are not limited to the region but have global implications,” Souley Amalkher, a Nigerian security expert, told Arab News.

Terrorism and organized crime in these areas can destabilize entire continents, disrupt global trade and fuel mass migration. “There is also the risk of these extremist ideologies spreading outside of Africa and posing a security threat to other regions,” Amalkher said.

Experts say the spread of extremist ideologies and the presence of terrorist groups in West Africa will lead to instability that could also affect the Arabian Peninsula.

They say the pro-Western Gulf states, while already supporting the fight against terrorism in West Africa, must reconfigure their strategies in light of the recent disintegration of the G5 Sahel.

Dealing with this crisis requires a multifaceted approach, the experts argue, pointing to what they say is the need for a combination of immediate and long-term strategies.

“Immediate actions should include re-establishing military partnerships. It is critical to restore and strengthen military collaborations with international partners as this would provide the necessary support to local forces to effectively counter the extremist threat,” said Lauren Mitchel, a security expert from the Washington-based Institute of Peace, to Arab News.

Humanitarian aid is also important. Immediate and substantial assistance is needed to support displaced populations and provide basic necessities such as food, water and healthcare.

In addition, it is important to strengthen border controls and international cooperation to disrupt human trafficking networks. This includes better information sharing and coordinated law enforcement.

Long-term solutions focus mostly on economic development and support for projects that encourage self-sufficiency.

“This means building infrastructure, creating jobs and promoting sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security,” Mitchel said.

Analysts have found that providing education and vocational training to young people can help prevent their recruitment by extremist groups. Social programs that address poverty and disenfranchisement are critical to long-term stability.

They say international efforts should be concentrated on facilitating the transition to stable, civilian-led administrations that can effectively manage and meet the needs of their populations.