Sahel Governance Forum | Closing Remarks by Ahunna Eziakonwa

Banjul, The Gambia | 31 July 2025

July 31, 2025

A woman in a golden outfit stands at a podium, speaking at a blue-themed event backdrop. — Photo: UNDP/Ugochukwu Kingsley Ahuchaogu

Your Excellency, Vice President, the Republic of The Gambia

Your Excellency, President Goodluck Jonathan, Former President of Nigeria

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

As we come to the close of this inaugural Sahel Governance Forum, I want to begin by thanking each of you for your time, your voices, your courage, and your vision. Special gratitude goes to the Government of the Gambia for championing this initiative and hosting us in Banjul.

I would also like to thank USG Mar, SRSG Simao, and President Jonathan, as well as International IDEA, for their support from the outset of this initiative.

Over the past two days, we have reflected deeply on what governance in the Sahel must become. We have spoken honestly about wealth creation, integrity in leadership, accountability, and inclusion, not as abstract ideals, but as the building blocks of a more peaceful, prosperous, and just region.

We have agreed, as expressed by the different speakers, that the future we seek will not be delivered by chance. It must be designed by leadership that listens and is ready to serve, by systems that work, and by people who are empowered to shape their destinies.

We have heard the voices of youth demanding space to create, not just to wait. We’ve heard the call of women for equal opportunity, not symbolic inclusion. And we’ve heard from leaders who understand that governance is not about holding power, it is about earning trust.

Ahunna Eziakonwa, UN Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa

We heard scholars and members of civil society who are ready to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to promote the agency of the people. We heard our young artists, whose talents continue to make the Sahel proud.

This forum may be ending, but the real work begins now.

One of the most important contributions of this forum has been the launch of the report, The Future of Governance in the Sahel: Rebuilding Social Cohesion and Public Trust. I encourage all policy makers, political actors, civil society organizations and development partners to engage with its findings and recommendations actively and to translate its insights into real, actionable reforms at local, national and regional levels. UNDP remains committed to working with partner organizations represented here to translate the recommendations into actions for the people of the Sahel.

As we leave Banjul, we must commit to building economies that serve everyone, not just a few. To lead with integrity, not entitlement. And to govern in a way that restores hope, not just order.

Let us not settle for prevention and only managing crises; we must build legitimacy. Let us not wait for peace to arrive; we must lead with justice, so peace can follow. And let us remember that the people of the Sahel, its farmers, traders, teachers, artists, and dreamers, are not a problem to be solved. They are our greatest resource.

To our incredible UNDP and UN colleagues (from Senegal and the Gambia) and the entire organising team, thank you for your tireless work behind the scenes in making this forum not just possible but meaningful.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let us make this Forum the beginning of a new era for the Sahel and Africa.

Thank you.