Waansa And Peace In Sahel Region

Martin Igwe is the Regional 1st Vice President (West Africa) West Africa Action Network on Small Arms (WAANSA)

West Africa Action Network on Small Arms is a network of civil society organisation working for peace with Special Commitment to end Illegal proliferation of arms and light weapons. Welcomes you to this Global Strategic Congress. As active member of international action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) complimenting United Nations, National effort towards advocating implementing programmes of Action to prevent, eradicate the illicit trade in small arms, recognises the importance and tangible results coming from previous congresses and coordinated United efforts to halt organized crime capable of transforming to a big threat to Global border Safety.

WAANSA is proud to identify with United Nations Programs of action, and World Border Security Congress has over turned to United Nations Programme of action implementing organization through leading Global cooperation. Technology driven best Practises, timely intelligence sharing mechanism to end gun Violence.

The Sahel a transition Zone between the Sahara and the Savanah, a hub of human activity, trading empire correcting with Africa which the sub Saharan region like Ghana, Mali regrettably is now a ghost of its historical past, the central Sahel has turned to epicentre for terrorism Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger face intensified attacks from criminal groups who utilizes advanced technology like drones. This has pushed us in Sargent’s operation to border lands of Coastal State including Ghana, Togo & Ivory Coast, Statistics Show that border region in West Africa are 67% more likely to experience violence than non-border areas with the most intense activity occurring within 10km of National Frontiers.

Violence conflict in Sahel Region is now a threat to global peace accounting for 51% Global terrorism death in 2024 fuelling mass illegal migration and transnational crime creating severe food insecurity with chronic long-term regional instability that cannot be managed solely by the military.

West Africa Action Network team is in Vienna to initiate Possible Advocacy Strategies International Cooperation capable of reviving Sahel region, international resilience against violence extremism climate sensitive initiatives in West Africa aimed at reducing pressure on natural resources and above all consolidate our campaign for International Border Fencing and possible constitution of regional Tax force to undertake Border security risk survey, identifying, prioritizing vulnerable corridors prone to transnational crime, design fazed border master plan with informed threats, indices and strategic importance WAANSA is optimistic that this our Annual Platform (World Border Security Congress) remain a veritable global platform, capable of strengthening International border safety and when this is achieved in Sahel region will halt the rise of forced migration, prevent the spread of regional instability. WAANSA will integrate actionable resolution of 2026 Border Security Congress into our position paper during this year 9th Biennial meeting of states to consider the implementation of United Nations program of Action on Small Arms in New York.

Border Security remains essential for national Sovereignty, protecting Nations from illegal cross border activities, preventing the entry of terrorist and dangerous contraband, controlling illegal cargoes and ensuring economic security. It remains affordable feasible human strategy to realize and advance the course of Global Peace and sustainable development hence we will stop at nothing to compliment the effort of the World Border Security Congress, United Nations, Africa Union and Economic community of west Africa States (ECOWAS) towards consolidation of Border Security.