UN chief calls for strengthening Niger's capacity in fighting terrorism

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the international community on Monday here to invest in strengthening the capacity of Niger's army in the fight against terrorism.

"As terrorist attacks continue to increase in the Sahel and spread to Gulf of Guinea states, the international community must realize that this is not just a regional or African issue, but a global threat," said Guterres during a press conference with Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum.

"The international community must invest fully in strengthening the capacity of the Niger army, I will continue to advocate for the mobilization of additional resources to face these challenges," he said.

Niger cannot face all these challenges alone, said Guterres, regarding the African Union, the G5 Sahel and ECOWAS as "essential actors for peace, stability and development in the region."

The G5 Sahel is a regional and intergovernmental organization which groups Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, while the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS) is a bloc of 15 West African countries, including Mali, Niger and Nigeria.

"The UN remains committed to Niger and other countries in the Sahel region," said the UN chief, adding that "the peace, stability and prosperity of Niger and the whole of the Sahel represent an absolute priority for the United Nations."

For his part, Bazoum said that terrorism imposes on Niger "the challenge of recruiting more soldiers, training them better than before, and better equipping them. This requires a lot of resources, we need your support."

Guterres arrived in Niger on Monday. He will also visit Nigeria.