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Foreign Minister Ambassador Youssef Tagle urged ECOWAS to unite to address the root causes of insecurity in the region.
He noted that between January and May 2024, more than 800 terrorist incidents occurred in the region, killing more than 7,000 people, with Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali being particularly hard hit.
Tagar, speaking at the opening of the 52nd session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Abuja on Wednesday, stressed the need for collective action to combat terrorism and violent extremism that threaten stability and development in West Africa.
The Minister, who is also the Chairperson of the Council, stressed that the fight against terrorism must be a shared responsibility that requires the unwavering commitment of all ECOWAS Member States.
He said: “More than 800 terrorist incidents occurred in our region between January and May 2024, killing more than 7,000 people. Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have been particularly devastated by this relentless violence.
“This stark reality underscores the enormous human cost of insecurity and the urgency of taking coordinated and decisive action to combat this threat.
“Terrorism knows no borders. From the Sahel to the coastal countries, no country is immune to its devastating effects. Therefore, every country in ECOWAS, including those in the Sahel, must understand that the fight against terrorism is not the burden of a few, but a collective responsibility.
“We must therefore unite and demonstrate unwavering commitment and resolve to safeguard the lives and future of our citizens.”
Tagle called for greater regional cooperation, effective BroadCast Unitedligence sharing and substantial funding for the ECOWAS counter-terrorism force.
He also stressed the importance of addressing fundamental issues such as climate change, migration, organized crime and economic inequality in order to build a stable and prosperous region.
“As we work together to find common solutions to the ongoing challenges of violent extremism and foreign interference, we should also keep in mind the broader challenge of cooperation to help address the root causes of instability in our region: climate change, migration, organized crime, global trade conditions and access to finance.
He added: “Our task today is to consider how best to respond to the immediate conditions we face and how to build stronger foundations to reduce inequality and poverty and strengthen democracy.”
The Minister noted that ECOWAS was carrying out peace support operations in countries such as Guinea-Bissau and the Gambia, and was planning a stabilization operation in Sierra Leone.
In addition, he highlighted efforts to address humanitarian challenges, including disaster risk reduction and the delivery of relief supplies to affected communities.
As the Security Council considered the various proposals, Tagle urged member states to remain united and uphold the principles of peace, democracy, the rule of law and good governance.
“Let us commit ourselves to working tirelessly to maintain the security and prosperity of our region for the benefit of our people and future generations,” he concluded.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touré, has expressed concern over the ongoing stalemate with the Alliance for Sahel States, stressing its negative impact on regional integration.
Touré stressed that persistent governance challenges, development deficits and changing geostrategic and geopolitical dynamics pose threats to regional cohesion and integration efforts.
“The ongoing stalemate between Sahel Alliance and ECOWAS is worrying and undermines the integrity of the regional integration agenda.
“Against this backdrop, our region continues to face governance challenges, development deficits, and rapidly changing geostrategic and geopolitical constraints that threaten regional cohesion and integration processes,” he noted.
ECOWAS, widely seen as West Africa’s most important political and regional authority, was established in 1975 to promote economic integration among member states but has faced challenges in recent years due to a series of military coups in the region.
These include events in Mali in 2020 and 2021, in Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger last year.
Unfortunately, three of these countries had considered forming a counterforce, the Sahel Alliance, after the overthrow of Niger’s elected government in response to ECOWAS’s position, but eventually formally announced their withdrawal from the organization on January 28, 2024.
Currently under military rule, the countries said in a joint statement they were withdrawing from ECOWAS because they believed it had strayed from the organisation’s founding ideals and Pan-Africanism.
However, the sanctions were lifted in February 2024 following mediation by Nigeria’s former military head, General Yakubu Gowon.
Touré stressed that these decisions are aimed at promoting unity and ensuring security in the African sub-region.
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