Wu Haitao (C, front), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses a Security Council meeting on West Africa, at the UN headquarters in New York, Jan. 8, 2020. Wu Haitao on Wednesday called on the world to intensify efforts to counter the terrorist threats in West Africa and Sahel, including stepping up assistance to regional countries in their capacity building. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese UN envoy on Wednesday stressed the need to accelerate development in West Africa and Sahel to eliminate the root causes of insecurity and instability in the region.
At a Security Council meeting on West Africa and Sahel, Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said that extreme poverty and underdevelopment are the underlying causes of insecurity and instability in the region.
To eliminate them, he said, the international community needs to support regional efforts in economic and social development and assist countries in the region in strengthening their governance capacity.
"It is also important to invest more in Africa, enhance trade, and eliminate poverty in an all-out effort with a particular focus on creating educational and employment opportunities for the youth," he stressed.
As to China's efforts, Wu said China is actively engaged in assisting regional countries in infrastructure development to increase connectivity.
Moreover, efforts such as offering scholarships for study in China and establishing educational and training centers are under way to provide education opportunities and vocational training to the vast number African youth, he added.
