Brussels, 06 July 2020/OACPS: On behalf of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. Georges Rebelo Pinto CHIKOTI, welcomes the holding of the G5 Sahel Summit in Nouakchott, Mauritania on 30 June 2020.

The Secretary-General recalls with great concern the security threats posed by terrorism in the Sahel region, and strongly condemns the frequent attacks being perpetrated against civilian populations in the G5 Sahel countries. He reiterates that such attacks continue to have an impact on peace, stability and security, and hinders sustainable development for these Members of the OACPS.

The Secretary-General welcomes the initiatives endorsed by the Heads of State and Government of the G5 Sahel Region at this Summit that include the official launch of the “Coalition for the Sahel” for securing the three borders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger in an effort to implement the ECOWAS 2020-2024 priority Action to eradicate terrorism in the ECOWAS region.

The Secretary-General further applauds the renewed commitment made by the Heads of State and Government and key development partners in addressing terrorism. In this regard, he reiterates the OACPS’s solidarity with the G5 Sahel States in their efforts to fight terrorism consistent with OACPS commitments made in the Nairobi Nguvu-ya-Pamoja Declaration.