(VOVworld)- UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday urged countries in the Sahel region to cooperate as many of them are currently facing political and security crises.

Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon (right) and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim in Bamako, Mali (Photo: World Bank)

At a meeting in Bamako, Mali, Ban said the UN will coordinate with regional governments to solve these issues and cautioned that Sahel countries can only fulfill their potential for growth by cooperating. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim promised to supply 1.5 billion USD to the Sahel region over the next 2 years to meet development needs such as social security, natural disaster relief, and rural development. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) announced it will provide 6.75 billion USD to this region over the next 7 years.