UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel

Background and Context

The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel () is a Regional Special political mission of the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). It was established in 2002, and its mandate has evolved over time to reflect the needs of the region and was last extended in February 2026. UNOWAS is headed by a Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG).

Under its mandate, UNOWAS carries out preventive diplomacy and good offices, monitors and analyzes political and security developments, and supports regional and subregional organizations, in particular the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union and the Mano River Union. It helps strengthen the capacity of States to address cross-border and cross-cutting threats to peace and security, such as terrorism, organized crime and trafficking. It also promotes good governance, respect for the rule of law and human rights, and the integration of gender perspectives. In addition, it supports the implementation of the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel and the work of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission. UNOWAS also considers the adverse effects of ecological change on the stability of the region, which is the basis of its work on climate, peace and security.

The regional context of West Africa and the Sahel

Although West Africa possesses significant natural resources and wealth, it is characterized by increasing climate stressors, driven by rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and desertification. Temperatures in the Sahel are rising approximately 1.5 times faster than the global average, further exacerbating existing challenges such as drought and desertification. Already, 80% of agricultural land in the Sahel belt is affected by climate change, significantly impacting food production and the livelihoods of local communities.
At the same time, the region continues to face armed conflict and intercommunal violence. Various extremist groups contribute to persistent insecurity and instability.

Illustrative examples from the region include:

? Increased exposure of women and girls to gender-based violence due to longer distances travelled to access water as traditional water points dry up;

? Climate-induced changes in river courses that serve as natural borders, generating intercommunal tensions and, at times, escalating into interstate disputes;

? The growing frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, and land degradation, which prevent recovery between shocks, fuel grievances toward local and national authorities, and heighten the risk of violence;

? Pressures on transhumance systems, where reduced water and grazing land intensify farmer�Cherder conflicts, facilitate arms trafficking, and, in some contexts, enable exploitation of natural resources by non-state armed groups.

The role of UNOWAS

In 2020, UNOWAS has been requested by the Security Council to take into consideration the adverse implications of climate change, energy poverty, ecological changes, and natural disasters, among other factors. This includes assisting the Governments of the region and the United Nations system in undertaking risk assessments and risk management strategies relating to these factors.

In a presidential statement on West Africa and the Sahel, adopted in May 2024, the Security Council recognized that climate change, ecological changes and natural disasters, including floods, drought, desertification and land degradation, are affecting the security and stability of the region. The Council also noted their aggravating effects on food security and on other humanitarian, social and economic challenges.

In line with its mandate, UNOWAS integrates climate-related security risks into its political analysis, early warning, and preventive diplomacy. It works with national authorities, ECOWAS, river basin organizations and the United Nations system to anticipate these risks, strengthen resilience and prevent tensions over land and water from escalating into violence.

The Climate, Peace and Security Advisor

Since 2022, UNOWAS, through the generous support of South Korea, appointed a Climate, Peace and Security Advisor (CPSA) to UNOWAS. Since 2025, Tanya Merceron is the dedicated CPSA of West Africa and the Sahel and is supported by Esther Minguemadje Marner as an Associate Expert, generously supported by Germany.

Rationale

UNOWAS takes into consideration the adverse implications of ecological changes and natural disasters, including through floods, drought, desertification, and land degradation, as well as their exacerbating effects on food security and on other humanitarian, social and economic challenges, which impact the security and stability of West Africa and the Sahel region including by assisting the Governments of the region and the United Nations system in undertaking risk assessments and risk management strategies relating to those factors.

Our work on Climate, Peace and Security

The work of the Climate, Peace and Security (CPS) Unit within UNOWAS is to advance an integrated strategy aligned with the CSM and rooted in the regions operational and institutional needs. Its work plan is structured around four strategic pillars:
(I) risk analysis and early warning systems to support anticipatory action across the UN system;
(II) a one-mission approach and inter-agency coordination on CPS;
(III) supporting climate-informed decision making across national and sub-national levels;
(IV) capacity building and institutionalization by strengthening long-term systems and skills so that climate, peace and security becomes embedded across peacekeeping and national institutions.

Strategic engagement

On 6-7 April 2022, UNOWAS organized a regional conference on climate change, peace and security in West Africa and the Sahel in Dakar, together with the Governments of Ireland and Ghana, and ECOWAS, in collaboration with ECOWAS Member States and the United Nations system. It was a landmark initiative of the office in this area.

The Conference had three objectives. It aimed to define concretely the adverse consequences of climate change, energy insecurity, ecological changes and natural disasters on human security; to take stock of current efforts at local, national and regional levels; and to identify options to strengthen responses to climate security risks from the perspective of conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

The Conference concluded with a Call to Action Dakar.pdf addressed to the governments of the subregion, regional and international organizations, the United Nations system and other partners. The Dakar Call to Action is built around three priorities: evidence-based analysis and policymaking, integrated partnerships, and climate financing for sustaining peace.

Since then, the Call to Action has guided the work of UNOWAS and its partners. It remains the foundation of the Office��s current engagement, including its work on farmer-herder conflicts and water diplomacy.

UN Water Conference 2026

UNOWAS is strengthening its engagement on water diplomacy as a key instrument for conflict prevention, regional cooperation and climate security.

Building on the Dakar Call to Action, the N��Djamena Declaration and the Declarations of Abidjan and Abuja, UNOWAS works closely with river basin organizations to promote transboundary water cooperation, support dialogue among riparian States, and advance integrated approaches that link water governance, peacebuilding and sustainable development.

As part of these efforts, UNOWAS is co-organizing three side events during the Conference. They will showcase practical experiences and partnerships that demonstrate how water diplomacy can contribute to peace, resilience and regional integration across West Africa and the Sahel:

Event ID75 led by the Gambia River Basin Development Organization (OMVG) on ��Enhancing Peace, Security and Development in West Africa and the Sahel through Transboundary Water Cooperation��
(please find soon more information in the Concept note under Publications)
Event ID234 led by the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) on ��Beyond Political Challenges: Water Diplomacy with Transboundary River Basin Organizations to Foster Cooperation and Integration for Peace and Stability in West and Central Africa��
(please find soon more information in the Concept note under Publications)
Event ID241 led by the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) on ��Anticipating Risks and Building Resilience: The Role of Data and Water Diplomacy in Preventing Climate-Related Insecurity in the Sahel��
(please find soon more information in the Concept note under Publications)