Written question asked by Baroness Brown of Silvertown (Labour) on Friday, 8 September 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 12 September 2023. It was answered by Andrew Mitchell (Conservative) on Monday, 18 September 2023 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

West Africa: Armed Conflict

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in (a) territorial control, (b) levels of threat to state integrity and (c) risks of atrocities by jihadist armed groups in (i) Mali, (ii) Burkina Faso and (iii) Niger.

Answer: The UK notes with concern the worsening security situation in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. We assess that the two largest terrorist groups operating in the Sahel - Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) - will likely seek to exploit opportunities including the crisis in Niger, rising conflict in northern Mali and deteriorating security in Burkina Faso to increase their operational activities, whilst also progressing their regional expansion plans. The terrorist threat in Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso will likely increase as a result of ongoing instability, as will the risk of atrocities by jihadist armed groups. The UK is monitoring the security situation in the Sahel closely and continues to provide vital humanitarian aid to support those affected by conflict.

Secondary information