Worried over the rising wave of terrorism and insurgency in parts of the world, the United Nations (UN) Security Council has reaffirmed its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, even as it expressed concerns over the situation in Nigeria and her neighbours where the Boko Haram insurgents have been waging war against the people.
Buhari’s Diplomatic Shuttle For Alliance
The global body did this just as President Muhammadu Buhari continued his shuttle diplomacy to the neighbouring countries on how to form a united front to curb the activities of the rampaging sect, which has adopted the strategy of using suicide bombers to wreak havoc in the South East of Nigeria.
Buhari has visited Chad, Niger Republic, Cameroon and Republic of Benin in his efforts to garner support from his colleagues to rout the insurgents. Already, the Nigerian Senate has passed a resolution asking Buhari to use his constitutional powers to stop the menace of the Boko Haram.
In a special statement issued last week from the Office of the Council’s President, the UN restated the determination of the member states to continue to do all they could to resolve conflicts and to deny terrorist groups the ability to put down roots and establish safe havens to address better the growing threat posed by terrorism.
In making this statement, the global body took into consideration the state of insecurity in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic over the activities of the Boko Haram which has been pummeling the citizens through gun and missile attacks and suicide bombings.The UN Secretary General also dispatched his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Mohamed Ibn Chambas, to Nigeria to show the seriousness of the support of the body in the fight against the sect.
Details of the UN statement which was made available to Daily Independent through the National Information Officer, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, came as the Nigerian government is tinkering with the idea of opening negotiations with the Boko Haram sect, a plan which had been received with mixed feelings by the citizens considering the deadly actions of the insurgents.
Security Council Condemns Boko Haram Attacks
Already, several communities in the North East states had been attacked by suicide bombers and the victims were in hundreds, not to talk of the injured. So, far, according to Buhari’s recent statement, Nigeria has over 40,000 refugees in Cameroon, while there are about 1.5 million Internal Displaced persons (IDPs) in the country. Thus has given rise to the problem of rehabilitation and reuniting them with their kits and kin in the communities. There is also the problem of reconstructing the damaged communities and towns.
So far, no one can categorically state the fate of the abducted Chibok girls, whether they are alive, killed, or used as suicide bombers or even sold as once claimed by the sect. Thus, the UN recent support to Nigeria, apart from its obvious advantage of attracting tangible material aids from powerful nations, it has an added advantage of acting as a morale booster to the Nigerian government and the country’s military.
The UN Council’s statement affirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whosoever committed.
The Security Council expressed its concern at the continued threat posed to international peace and security by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (also known as “Boko Haram” and hereinafter referred to as such) and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, reaffirms its resolve to address all aspects of that threat, and reaffirms that terrorism, including the actions of the Boko Haram terrorist group, cannot and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, or civilisation.
The Security Council reiterated its strong condemnation of all the terrorist attacks, abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law by Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin region, recognised that women and girls are particularly targeted by Boko Haram, expressed its deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the peoples and Governments of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.
The Security Council recalled that those responsible for abuses and violations of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law must be held accountable and brought to justice.
The Security Council took note of the Communiqué of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) of November 25, 2014 on the threat posed by Boko Haram and the efforts of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Member States (Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria) and Benin to combat Boko Haram.
The Security Council further took note of the letter sent by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to the United Nations Secretary-General on March 6, 2015, forwarding the Communiqués adopted by the AUPSC on January 29 and March 3, 2015, as well as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) Strategic Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to fight against Boko Haram.
Need For Increased Regional Cooperation
The Security Council, while acknowledging the progress made on the ground following joint regional military efforts in recent months, condemned strongly the continued deadly attacks perpetrated by the Boko Haram terrorist group, particularly against civilians and encourages increased regional cooperation. The Security Council commended the LCBC Member States and Benin for their continued efforts to fully operationalise the MNJTF in order to collectively enhance regional military cooperation and coordination to more effectively combat the threat posed by the Boko Haram terrorist group to the Lake Chad Basin region.
In this respect, the Security Council noted the establishment of the Operational Headquarters (HQ) in N’Djamena, Chad, as per the Conclusions of the 5th Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of the LCBC Member States of January 20, 2015, and also noted the inauguration of the said HQ in N’Djamena, Chad, on May 25, 2015.
The following participated in the meeting: The AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Mohamed Ibn Chambas; the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), Abdoulaye Bathily; the Executive Secretary of the LCBC, Sanusi Imran Abdullahi, and the Chadian Minister delegate at the Presidency of the Republic in charge of National Defence and Veterans Affairs, Benaindo Tatola.
The Security Council took note of the final communiqué adopted by the Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the LCBC Member States and Benin, held in Abuja, Nigeria, on June11, 2015, including the decisions to approve the strategic and operational Concepts of Operations and other related documents for the MNJTF; the deployment of national contingents to the MNJTF under the operational command of the MNJTF Force Commander by July 30, 2015; the designation of the Executive Secretary of the LCBC as the Head of Mission; and the nomination of the Force Commander, Deputy Force Commander and Chief of Staff of the MNJTF.
It also reaffirmed that Member States must ensure that any measures taken to counter terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in Particular the international human rights law, international refugee law, and international humanitarian law.The Security Council encouraged the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in coordination with the AUC, to accelerate joint efforts to adopt a comprehensive strategy to more effectively and urgently combat the threat posed by Boko Haram, and, in this regard welcomed plans to convene a summit in August and urged the two subregional organisations to adopt a common strategy and develop active cooperation and coordination.
The Security Council acknowledged the economic burden borne by the Boko Haram affected countries and welcomed the continuing commitment of Member States and international partners participating in support of the MNJTF in combating the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The Security Council noted the steps being taken by the AUC to provide the support necessary for the full operation of the MNJTF in line with the relevant provisions of the MNJTF CONOPS to fight against Boko Haram.
Furthermore, the Council called upon the international community and donors to support the MNJTF, particularly its operational capability and welcomes in this regard, the AUC plans to organise a donors’ conference in support of the efforts of the LCBC Member States and Benin. The Security Council invited the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, to support the AUC plans for a donors’ conference, called on Member States to contribute generously to the AU Trust Fund and requests the Secretary-General to advocate strongly with the international community and donors in support of this effort.
The Security Council particularly stressed the need to complement the joint regional military and security operations against the Boko Haram terrorist group by sustained national and regional efforts, with international support, to improve livelihoods, provide humanitarian assistance to IDPs, refugees, and other conflict-affected populations, promote education and job creation, facilitate stabilisation efforts and economic recovery, prevent illicit trafficking of weapons to armed groups and criminal networks as well as ensure the protection of human rights, particularly those of women and children.
In this respect, it noted the adoption, by the June 11, 2015 Extraordinary Summit of the LCBC Member States and Benin, of the Emergency Plan for Development in the Lake Chad Basin and commended efforts by Member States and international organisations to extend all the necessary support to address the development challenges in the Lake Chad Basin region, and invited the United Nations, its Secretariat, and particularly its relevant agencies, funds and programmes, to work with the AUC to identify practical steps through which it could contribute to these efforts.
It said the Security Council is concerned with the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Lake Chad Basin countries, with close to 1.9 million people forcibly displaced in the region. The Security Council took note of the efforts of the governments of affected countries in responding to the regional humanitarian needs generated by the actions of Boko Haram. The Security Council reaffirmed the need for all parties to armed conflict to respect the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence in order to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance, the safety of civilians receiving assistance and the security of humanitarian personnel and United Nations and its associated personnel. It recalled that States bear the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of their citizens, as well as all individuals within their territory as provided for by relevant international law.
It called on the Member States contributing to the MNJTF to create a secure environment conducive for the civilian-led delivery of humanitarian assistance and the voluntary, safe and sustainable return, resettlement or local integration of IDPs and refugees. The Security Council encouraged all actors involved in the response to support recovery programmes and the provision of the necessary protection measures for civilians, and to pay particular attention to the release and reintegration of children abducted by Boko Haram or formerly associated with this terrorist group.
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