A Chinese envoy on Thursday called on the international community to provide "coherent and effective" support for countries in the Sahel of Africa in tackling security threats facing the region.

Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, made the remarks while addressing an open meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Sahel.

"In recent years, thanks to the continuing efforts of the regional countries as well as the great support of the international community, the overall situation in the Sahel region remains stable ... and positive progress has been made in the UN Integrated Strategy for Sahel," Wang told the 15-member Council.

However, he noted, countries of the Sahel region still face multi-faceted challenges.

"At present, some regional countries, due to stalled political process and turbulent security situation, are facing threats by rising terrorist activities, illicit weapon proliferation and transnational organized crimes," said Wang.

"Tackling effectively the above-mentioned threats requires unremitting efforts of the regional countries to autonomously promote political process and continuously enhance capacity building in the area of security," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chinese envoy stressed that support for the efforts of the regional countries in maintaining peace and stability is the key to improving the security and humanitarian situation in the Sahel region.

"The international community should strengthen coordination and cooperation, providing coherent and effective support for the regional countries," Wang said.

He also called on the international community to, through regional cooperation, actively help countries in the Sahel region to strengthen capacity building in security.

Wang said focusing on addressing the root causes of conflicts, such as poverty and underdevelopment, is the very basis on which lasting stability and development can be achieved in the Sahel region.

Furthermore, the Chinese envoy said that his country attaches great importance to China-Africa relations.

"China has provided long-standing support to African countries in exploring viable development paths based on their national realities as well as assistance to the best of its ability to those countries as they pursue unity, strength, independent development and finding their own solutions to regional issues, including the situation in the Sahel," Wang said.

"In the future, China stands ready to further exchange and enhance its cooperation with international and regional organizations, including the United Nations, so as to make a greater contribution to achieving an early and comprehensive settlement of problems that the Sahel is facing and to promoting the peace, development and stability of Africa," he added.