Sahel Reporter

In a decisive move that could reshape regional stability efforts, the Conseil de l’Entente and the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, in Abidjan-Cocody. The agreement marks a turning point in their joint pursuit of peace, stability, political dialogue and regional cooperation across West Africa and the Sahel.

By joining forces, the two institutions aim to better coordinate their efforts amid persistent security, political, humanitarian and institutional challenges. The partnership also seeks to preserve and strengthen platforms for dialogue between states and regional organisations.

The three pillars of the new partnership

The cooperation rests on three main priorities. The first focuses on preventive diplomacy, mediation and political dialogue, including the possibility of strategic consultations, good offices initiatives and facilitation actions.

The second addresses peace and resilience in border areas. Both institutions plan to work on conflict prevention, social cohesion, and the participation of young people and women in peace initiatives.

The third pillar is dedicated to institutional strengthening and strategic analysis, through information sharing, joint studies, advisory assistance and capacity-building for the Conseil de l’Entente.

A strengthened role for the Conseil de l’Entente

The Memorandum also enshrines the Conseil de l’Entente’s role as a platform for dialogue, consultation and diplomatic facilitation. The organisation could thus contribute, when circumstances require, to bringing states and different regional configurations closer together.

To ensure the agreement’s implementation, both institutions will draw up annual joint work plans, designate focal points and hold regular follow-up consultations. Joint evaluation, dialogue or diplomatic facilitation missions may also be conducted.

The Memorandum of Understanding is concluded for an initial period of three years.

Leonardo Simão: ‘Peace is never definitive’

Present at the signing ceremony, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Simão, stressed the importance of this cooperation for promoting peace and stability in the region.

“There are always threats to peace. We cannot take peace as something definitive. We must always make efforts to maintain peace where it already exists, but also to recover peace where it does not exist,” he declared.

Leonardo Simão also highlighted the experience of the Conseil de l’Entente, created in 1959, before both the Organisation of African Unity and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). According to him, this experience of cooperation between states provides a foundation on which new peace initiatives in the region can be built.

Idi Ali: a privileged framework for consolidating peace

For Idi Ali, Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of the interim of the Executive Secretary of the Conseil de l’Entente, the agreement reflects recognition of the role the organisation can play in the current security context.

“The Conseil de l’Entente today constitutes a privileged framework for consolidating peace in the sub-region,” he said, noting in particular the presence within the organisation of both Sahelian and coastal countries.

He welcomed the signing of the Memorandum with the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, estimating that it would consolidate relations between the two institutions and strengthen their contribution to peace in the sub-region.