India calls for countering terror in Africa’s Sahel and Libya

India has called on the international community to focus its attention on the threat of terrorism in Africa, in particular the Sahel region, asserting it must be ensured that terrorist groups and affiliated entities are not allowed to operate unchallenged in Libya.

Speaking at the UNSC briefing/consultation on United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti on Monday said that the report of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has highlighted the presence of training camps of Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL) in southern Libya.

The Sahel region stretches from Senegal on the Atlantic coast, through parts of Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Sudan to Eritrea on the Red Sea coast. Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger in particular are facing threats from ISIS and other Islamist groups.


“It is important that the international community focuses its attention on the threat of terrorism in Africa, in particular in the Sahel region. We must ensure that terrorist groups and affiliated entities are not allowed to operate unchallenged in Libya," Tirumurti said.

"It is critical for the Security Council to focus and act upon the growing threat of terrorism in Africa, he said. Tirumurti is also Chair of the UN Security Council's Libya Sanctions Committee and presented the committee's report on Monday to the 15-nation Council.

The Committee discussed issues relating to preserving integrity and value of Libyan frozen assets for the benefit of its people, arms embargo, travel ban exemptions, illicit petroleum exports, he said. India regrets to note that the presidential and parliamentary elections in the African nation could not be held as scheduled on December 24 last year, the Indian Ambassador said.

As an objective endorsed by the Libyan people themselves, this could have been an important milestone in the political process, carrying forward the momentum generated by signing of Ceasefire Agreement in October 2020, he said, expressing hope that all issues relating to elections and candidature will be resolved in time and the elections will be conducted smoothly. It is important for the Security Council to support the democratic aspirations of the Libyan people, Tirumurti said.