Statement by Brazil in the Security Council briefing on UNOWAS - January 10th 2022

Madam President,

I wish to thank Secretary-General for the comprehensive report on the latest developments in the region, as well as SRSG Annadif for the insight and measures undertaken by UNOWAS to support western African States.

Brazil welcomes the resumption of activities and progress made within the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission regarding demarcation and also the peaceful and orderly electoral processes held in Cabo Verde and the Gambia, since inclusivity and sustained peace greatly derive from democratic practices. In addition, we would like to commend the Gambian authorities for the outstanding work carried out by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparation Commission. We hope their accomplishments can be a source of inspiration.

While some positive developments have taken place in the countries covered by UNOWAS, plenty of work remains to be done at the political, humanitarian and security levels.  In that regard, we endorse the SG’s remarks related to Guinea-Bissau about the need to implement the institutional reforms outlined in the 2016 Conakry Agreement according to the ECOWAS Road Map designed to resolve the political crisis. Brazil also encourages the Bissau-Guinean authorities to complete a consensus-based constitutional reform and reiterates its commitment to fully support the country’s political stabilization process through the work of the Peacebuilding Commission Guinea-Bissau Configuration, which we have the honour to chair. We are looking forward to continuing a fruitful dialogue with SRSG Annadif and national actors on this matter.

The humanitarian situation in the ECOWAS area is of great concern to us and Brazil has been working closely with its African partners to multiply South-South cooperation agreements in order to address challenges in the health and food security fields.

Security in the Western African region is a critical issue both on land and at sea. Brazil welcomes the efforts by UNOWAS to implement the United Nations Integrated Strategy to the Sahel. In face of the threat of expansion of terrorist groups from Sahel to coastal states in West Africa, we commend the countries in the sub-region for their commitment to cross-border cooperation and information-sharing and encourage UNOWAS to support them. Moreover, Brazil has been paying increased attention to the international security implications of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea, which remains the world’s piracy hotspot, even though the data available for 2021 shows a reduction of the rates of such crimes in the region.

As the States of the Gulf of Guinea bear the primary responsibility to counter piracy and armed robbery in the region, modalities for regional cooperation and naval capacity-building are key in addressing this complex challenge. I would like to recognize, in particular, the fundamental importance of the Yaoundé Architecture for Maritime Security in promoting regional coordination to counter piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea. The Yaoundé Architecture brings together key regional organizations, such as the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC). Additional support for countries and regional organizations in the Gulf of Guinea could help strengthen their ongoing counter-piracy efforts.

It is important to recognize that piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea have been causing financial hardship for the whole region through disruptions to shipping and international trade, loss of government revenues, impacts on the security of seafarers and fishers, and inefficiencies in transportation. The costs of piracy also shift resources that might otherwise be used to the development and security of the region, including in addressing other transnational organized crimes. The international community must acknowledge the complexity of piracy and deal with its several aspects in a comprehensive and integrated manner, starting with its root causes, usually associated with the lack of economic opportunities and extreme poverty. In this context, the Peacebuilding Commission could provide important inputs to consolidate peace in and around the Gulf of Guinea and integrate strategies to address the root causes of piracy on land.

As a member of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic, Brazil stands ready to engage actively in this Council to strengthen the ongoing regional counter-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea, including through a new resolution on this matter.

Thank you, Madam President.