Statement of Senegal, March 21, 2016

In addition to the evolving aftermath of those tragedies, other regional conflicts have exacted a heavy toll on the trust and relations among States, creating challenges and substantial limits to necessary regional cooperation. Indeed, various reports on the subject, including those of the Secretary-General, reveal an emerging pattern in the the causes and manifestations of the crises wracking the region. Without being exhaustive, we can identify the following, inter alia: the growing number of armed non-State entities; inter-community or ethnic tensions; problems pertaining to governance and democracy; the illegal exploitation of natural resources that fuel conflicts; the cyclical flows of refugees and internally displaced persons, and their resulting humanitarian consequences; the high number of civilian victims in that context of insecurity; sexual and gender-based abuse, particularly against women and girls; and lest we forget, the poignant case of children who are often recruited by warring parties.