The Special Representative for West Africa (SRSG) represents the Secretary-General of the United Nations in all matters relevant to the sub region.

A number of West African countries continued to be affected by the political crises resulting from flawed or contested electoral processes, unconstitutional changes of government or other threats to constitutional legality and governance, which pose significant threats to the political, social and economic stabilization of the subregion

In collaboration with ECOWAS and the African Union, UNOWA, under the leadership of my Special Representative, remained actively engaged in Mauritania, Guinea and the Niger to promote a return to constitutional order.

Recenlty, UNOWA also worked collaboratively with the United Nations country team in Lomé and the ECOWAS Mediator for Togo, President Compaoré of Burkina Faso, to ensure that the presidential election of 4 March 2010 was held as scheduled and in a peaceful environment. In close collaboration with the United Nations country team, UNOWA has also been following developments in Benin in the lead-up to the March 2011
elections.