UNITED NATIONS, July 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin as well as the challenging security situation in West Africa.

In a presidential statement, the Security Council called for continued national, regional and international engagement to help countries in the region to address the peace and security challenges there.

The Security Council expressed concern over the overall humanitarian situation in the region, notably characterized by the impact of forced displacement, extreme poverty, social inequalities and violence, including sexual and gender-based violence.

It called for safe, sustained and unhindered access for the delivery of humanitarian and medical aid to persons in need, including access to holistic care for survivors of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.

The Security Council expressed concern about the potential of the COVID-19 pandemic to further exacerbate existing fragilities in the region, undermine development, worsen the humanitarian situation and affect disproportionately women and girls, children, refugees, internally displaced persons, older persons and persons with disabilities.

It called for international support for the region and a coordinated, inclusive, comprehensive and global response to the pandemic.

The Security Council underscored the importance of addressing the underlying conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, and violent extremism conducive to terrorism, and the need for a holistic approach to address the root causes of intercommunal violence.

It emphasized the need for national stakeholders in Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea and Niger to work together to facilitate the holding of free and fair, credible, timely and peaceful elections, and to take all appropriate steps to prevent violence.

The Security Council expressed deep concern regarding the latest tensions in Mali and urged the Malian stakeholders to prioritize the use of dialogue to resolve the crisis, to refrain from any action likely to fuel further tensions, and to work inclusively and constructively to preserve the rule of law.

Mali has been in political turmoil since June 5, when massive protests first erupted in the capital city of Bamako. A coalition of opposition and civil society groups are calling for the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The situation dramatically escalated when at least 11 protestors were killed and 150 people injured in Bamako between July 10 and 12. Enditem

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