UN deputy scribe meets Tinubu, calls for democracy in West Africa

The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed, on Friday met with President Bola Tinubu to debrief the Nigerian leader on the effort to restore constitutional rule in some West African countries that have recently come under the grip of military juntas.

The countries now under military rule in West Africa are Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea Conakry.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the UN scribe said that apart from debriefing the president on the proposals he had earlier made to keep dialogue going forward as the Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS, their closed-door meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also appraised emerging challenges.

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She revealed that the delegation dwelt on the possibility of including economic development for the countries so that the people of those nations do not suffer at the same time.

The former Nigerian Minister of Environment stated: “My visit here was to see Mr. President and to give him a debrief on the visit of myself and delegation within West Africa, Senegal, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

“We also went to Ethiopia on a finance mission.

“We were able to debrief on the proposals that he had made to try to keep the dialogue going for some of the states that we have challenges with.

“But at the same time, we also looked for the possibilities to include more economic development so that the people don’t suffer at the same time.”

She pointed out that the UN is not however negotiating on behalf of ECOWAS but supporting the subregion.

Asked whether the world body was in negotiation on behalf of the bloc, she said: “ Absolutely not. The UN does not negotiate on behalf of ECOWAS, what it does is to support the leadership of ECOWAS, and that’s why we came here to debrief with the President.”

On what the UN is telling the countries, the Deputy UN scribe said: “Well, what we are telling these countries is that a number of them have a crisis. They have unconstitutional changes and what they must do is to come back to a transition and a process to democracy.

“On the other hand, they have to look also at the development paradigm for their people, there is terrorism. But there’s also a need to look at jobs, food security, and energy. All those also have to continue.

“Now if they can display a roadmap that gives everyone some confidence that there is a return to democratic rule, then they will find the support. I believe that in ECOWAS we are a family.

“Regional Integration is at the heart of it. It is what these countries have said. And the proposal by ECOWAS in its last meeting, to have President Faye of Senegal and President Faure of Togo to continue that dialogue and engagement is a good one.”

On the response of the countries, Mohammed said: “The response from them is that clearly they feel that they have not had the same support of ECOWAS that they envisaged and a lack of understanding that in some cases, they of course are going to go ahead with their alliance, but at the same time they express their priorities.

“First was security and the fight against terrorism. The second was investments that they were looking for in certain areas like food security, and job creation for young people.”