The United States of America has expressed concerns over the rise of terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel, including backslides of democracy in the region.

The U.S. alternate representative for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, Robert Wood, expressed this concern in his remark at a United Nations Security Council Arria-formula meeting on combating the rise of the menace in the region, organised by the Permanent Mission of Sierra-Leone to the UN.

Making this known in a press statement on Wednesday, the UN said the U.S. gave its support to the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel in its efforts “to promote inclusive democratic processes in the region, which will also strengthen counterterrorism efforts.”

Describing The Sahel as “the global epicentre of terrorism deaths,” the UN stated that partnerships with the civil society, would sustainably address the conditions conducive to terrorism and violent extremism.

Mr Wood explained that overly broad or vague counterterrorism efforts and laws could shrink civic space and lead to radicalisation to violence.

He also condemned the sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in the region, by Boko Haram, and welcomed the Resolution 2734, adopted last week which “recognises these acts are eligible for designation under the criteria in the ISIL and Al-Qaida sanctions regime.”

He said the U.S. funded programmes by the UN office for Counter-Terrorism such as, “the CT Travel, Border Security, and Victims of Terrorism Programs,” and encouraged “other member states to fund whole-of-UN efforts, as reflected in the Joint Appeal for Counterterrorism in Africa.”

He stated that the U.S. which has been the largest single humanitarian donor in Africa “has provided nearly $1.9 billion in humanitarian assistance across the continent in Fiscal Year 2024 to date.”

He said the U.S. is “keen for the UN Resident Coordinator to arrive and begin her work in Burkina Faso, and we call on the Transition Authority to permit humanitarian organisations to operate and move freely,” and also emphasised “the need for a UN Resident Coordinator in Niger to lead the UN’s work to support development and lifesaving humanitarian assistance.”

He therefore reiterated the full commitment of the U.S. to working with members of the Security Council to reinvigorate collective efforts with African partners.