With political upheaval and civil wars engulfing much of West Africa in recent years, the region has become a major center of U.N. operations to help prevent and resolve conflicts and to consolidate peace. The Department of Political Affairs oversees the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), created in 2002 to bring a regional and integrated dimension to the wide-ranging U.N. peace efforts in the area.

Headed by Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, UNOWA is the first such regional conflict prevention and peace-building office of the United Nations. In addition to monitoring and reporting on political developments in the region, the Office also works closely with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and others to develop programs that address a wide range of issues affecting peace and security in and between countries in the region:

• human rights and democratization;
• security sector reform;
• economic integration;
• youth unemployment;
• small arms proliferation,
• human trafficking;
• security in border areas;
• the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General works closely with UN peace missions in the sub-region to help ensure adequate communication and to promote cooperation and consistent approaches to common problems. He also plays an active good offices role on behalf of the Secretary-General in seeking to prevent the violence and instability that has often accompanied elections and the transfer of power in the area.

The Special Representative also chairs the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission, established in November 2002 to oversee the peaceful implementation of the ruling of the International Court of Justice in the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria.