Security in West Africa and the Sahel: UN sounds alarm

The UN Security Council met on July 14, 2026, to discuss the security situation in West Africa and the Sahel. The head of the UN Office for the region, Leonardo Santos Simão, presented a report highlighting that the threat from terrorist and other armed groups remains serious, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, and is spreading rapidly to coastal Gulf of Guinea states. These groups are adapting their tactics using advanced technologies such as drones, communications, and cryptocurrencies.