UN chief thanks Niger for aiding efforts to fight extremist group, peacekeeping operations in Mali

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday thanked Niger for its assistance in the international effort to fight the extremist group Boko Haram and its contribution to the UN peacekeeping operation in Mali.

In his meeting with Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou, Ban reiterated the United Nations commitment to support the strengthening of democracy in Niger, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here.

"The secretary-general commended Niger's efforts, with the countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, in the establishment of the regional Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to fight Boko Haram," the spokesman said.

"The secretary-general also thanked Niger for its military contribution to the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and reiterated the importance of regional approaches to the stabilisation of the Sahel."

Ban stressed the United Nations' continued commitment to support the efforts of the countries of the Sahel region to combat instability and its root causes, including through the implementation of the United Nations Integrated Strategy for the Sahel, the spokesman added.

From the Atlantic to the Red Sea, going through the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel region covers 10 countries that include Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Eritrea.

The region has seen a proliferation of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab and AQIM, that have been carrying out attacks in different countries.

By end of November last year, at least 100 terrorist attacks had taken place in Africa with the majority in Sahel region. The number was equivalent to one third of terrorist attacks that happened across the world in 2015. Enditem