UN Envoy Warns of Armed Groups Using Children in Sahel Conflicts

Edited by : Widad WAHBI

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, has raised alarm over what he described as “unconventional methods” employed by armed groups in the Sahel and Sahara regions, including the recruitment and use of children in combat operations — a disturbing development in the region’s intensifying violence.

During his official visit to Burkina Faso from May 21 to 25, Simão met with high-level officials including Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyélem de Tambèla (also known as Jean-Emmanuel Ouédraogo), senior political and security figures, and members of the diplomatic corps in the capital, Ouagadougou.

The UN envoy expressed deep concern over the deteriorating security situation, highlighting that terrorist attacks have escalated “dangerously” in recent years, leading to the displacement of over 2.2 million people within the Sahel region.

Despite the grim outlook, Simão praised the country’s development efforts, particularly in the agricultural sector — a key focus of the government’s strategy to improve living conditions. However, he emphasized that without stability and security, sustainable development remains out of reach.

Meanwhile, Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister urged the United Nations to “show courage” in amplifying the voices of countries struggling to safeguard their sovereignty. He criticized what he called the “international community’s silence” regarding the alleged support of certain major powers to terrorist groups operating in the Sahel.

These remarks come amid an ongoing wave of armed violence in the region, which continues to grapple with complex security and humanitarian challenges. Observers stress the need for a more coordinated and long-term regional and international response.