The Minister of International Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has urged the Financial Neighborhood of West African States to unite in addressing the causes of insecurity within the area.
He famous that between January and Might 2024, over 7,000 individuals have died in additional than 800 terrorist incidents throughout the area, with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali being significantly laborious hit.
Tuggar, who spoke on the opening of the 52nd session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Safety Council in Abuja, on Wednesday, emphasised the necessity for collective motion in opposition to terrorism and violent extremism, which threaten the steadiness and growth of West Africa.
The minister, who can also be the chairperson of the council, pressured that the battle in opposition to terrorism have to be a shared duty, requiring unwavering dedication from all ECOWAS member states.
He mentioned, “Between January and Might 2024, our area has witnessed over 7,000 deaths because of greater than 800 terrorist incidents. Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have been significantly devastated by this relentless violence.
“This stark actuality highlights the staggering human price of insecurity and underscores the urgency for coordinated and decisive motion to fight this menace.
“Terrorism doesn’t recognise borders. From the Sahel to the coastal States, no nation is proof against its devastating affect. It’s subsequently essential for each nation inside ECOWAS, together with these within the Sahelian belt, to grasp that the battle in opposition to terrorism just isn’t the burden of some however a collective duty.
“Subsequently, we should stay united and display unwavering dedication and resolve to safeguard the lives and futures of our residents.”
Tuggar referred to as for enhanced regional cooperation, efficient intelligence sharing, and strong funding for the ECOWAS counter-terrorism drive.
He additionally highlighted the significance of addressing underlying points akin to local weather change, migration, organized crime, and financial inequality to construct a secure and affluent area.
“As we be part of forces to seek out widespread options to the persevering with problem of violent extremism and international interference, we must also stay aware of the broader problem of cooperation to assist sort out the underlying causes of instability in our area: local weather change, migration, organised prison exercise, international phrases of commerce and entry to financing.
“Our process right this moment is to think about how finest to fulfill the speedy signs of the situation we face and likewise find out how to set up firmer foundations to cut back inequality and poverty and strengthen democracy,” he added.
The minister famous ECOWAS’ ongoing peace help operations in international locations like Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia and the plans for a stabilisation mission in Sierra Leone.
Moreover, he highlighted efforts to sort out humanitarian challenges, together with catastrophe threat discount and offering reduction supplies to affected communities.
Because the council deliberated on varied proposals, Tuggar urged members to stay united and dedicated to the ideas of peace, democracy, rule of regulation, and good governance.
“Allow us to additionally pledge to work tirelessly for the safety and prosperity of our area, for the general good thing about our individuals and the generations to come back,” he concluded.
The President of the ECOWAS Fee, Omar Touray, expressed concern over the continued standoff with the Alliance of Sahelian States, emphasizing its detrimental affect on regional integration.
Touray highlighted persistent challenges in governance, growth deficits, and evolving geostrategic and geopolitical dynamics posing threats to regional cohesion and integration efforts.
“The continued standoff between the Alliance of Sahelian States and ECOWAS is preoccupying and undermines the integrity of the regional integration agenda.
“In opposition to this backdrop, our area continues to face challenges of governance, growth deficits, and the quickly altering geostrategic and geopolitical enjoinment that threatens regional cohesion and the combination course of,” he famous.
Extensively considered West Africa’s foremost political and regional authority, the Financial Neighborhood of West African States, fashioned in 1975 to foster financial integration amongst member states, has confronted challenges lately stemming from a collection of army coups within the area.
These embrace incidents in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger prior to now yr.
Regrettably, three of those nations, which had beforehand thought of forming a counterforce, the Alliance of Sahel States, in response to ECOWAS following the overthrow of Niger’s democratically elected authorities, formally introduced their withdrawal from the organisation on January 28, 2024.
At the moment, beneath army governance, these international locations acknowledged in a joint declaration that they had been leaving ECOWAS as a result of what they understand as a deviation from the founding beliefs of the organisation and pan-Africanism.
Nevertheless, sanctions had been lifted in February 2024 following mediation by Nigeria’s former army head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.
Touray emphasised that the choices had been made within the curiosity of fostering unity and making certain safety throughout the African sub-region.
