The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has embarked on a significant initiative to bolster regional security, with member states collectively pledging $2.4 billion to establish a standby counter-terrorism force.
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security of ECOWAS, revealed this decision during the opening of a three-day consultative meeting of commandants from designated ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence.
The envisioned counter-terrorism force will serve as a rapid reaction unit, equipped to confront the escalating threat posed by terrorist groups proliferating across the sub-region. Ambassador Musah emphasized the urgent need for such a force, highlighting its pivotal role in addressing terrorist strongholds effectively.
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“This is the decision, and in the coming weeks, ECOWAS has already with the Chief of Defence Staffs, developed operational modalities, the concept of operations, and everything for us to aggregate.
“It will be something like an advanced rapid reaction force of a battalion that will be able to confront terrorists’ bases.
“The Heads of States have decided that on the first year, we must raise about 2.4 billion dollars to support the operation of this force in order to face the terrorists,” Musah stated.
The establishment of the counter-terrorism force marks a significant milestone in ECOWAS’s efforts to enhance regional security and combat terrorism. The force will draw on the expertise of three designated Training Centres of Excellence located in Nigeria, Ghana, and Mali, reflecting ECOWAS’s commitment to capacity-building and collaboration among member states.
Out of the agreed $2.5 billion budget for the counter-terrorism standby force, ECOWAS member states have directed the immediate contribution of $1 billion to kickstart its operations. Additionally, ministers of defense and finance from the sub-region will convene to devise funding modalities and ensure sustained support for the force.
The decision by ECOWAS member states to commit $2.4 billion to establish a standby counter-terrorism force comes as a response to escalating security threats and recent geopolitical developments in the Sahel region. In particular, the withdrawal of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS in January, coupled with their severance of ties with France and the United States, underscores the urgent need for a concerted regional approach to combatting terrorism and addressing security challenges.
Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso cited persistent terrorism in the Sahel region, and the inability of ECOWAS to contain the challenge, as part of their reasons for quitting the bloc. ECOWAS has appealed to the breakaway countries to return.
Against this backdrop, the establishment of the counter-terrorism force is seen as ECOWAS’s proactive approach to addressing regional challenges and a potential way of luring the military-led countries back into the bloc.
The Sahel region, characterized by porous borders and vast ungoverned spaces, has become a hotspot for terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda affiliates and Islamic State militants. Despite efforts by international partners, including France and the United States, to contain the spread of terrorism in the region, the security situation has continued to deteriorate, prompting a reassessment of strategies and priorities.
The decision by Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso to withdraw from ECOWAS and sever ties with France and the United States reflects a growing disillusionment with the effectiveness of external interventions in addressing security challenges in the Sahel.