Sahel Crisis Demands Urgent Global Response, Warns UN Refugee Agency
In a dire warning on Wednesday, a senior UN refugee official has cautioned that the worsening humanitarian crisis in Africa’s Sahel region risks spilling over into neighboring countries, potentially escalating into a global problem if not addressed immediately, VOA reported.
Abdouraouf Gnon-Konde, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) director for West and Central Africa, emphasized the volatile situations in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which threaten to destabilize the wider Gulf of Guinea region, including Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire.
“If we don’t act now, if we don’t respond now, if we don’t find a way to remain there, stay and continue to remain engaged, finding a solution, then somehow those countries will be overwhelmed, the state will be overwhelmed, and it will become a problem for the world,” Gnon-Konde told AFP in an interview in Brussels.
The official was in the Belgian capital to appeal to EU leaders for sustained focus and support, even as the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts dominate global attention. The European Commission has pledged €201 million in aid for the Sahel, where over 10.5 million people have been displaced by conflict.
Gnon-Konde warned that Chad, hosting nearly 1 million Sudanese refugees, is emerging as a critical test case for the region, international donors, and the UN. He stressed that the UNHCR’s priority is addressing the needs of civilian populations, regardless of who holds power in the countries.
