President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has been re-elected as the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). His re-election took place during the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
In his address, President Tinubu reiterated the need for the establishment and maintenance of a regional standby force to ensure the security and economic growth of the community. Highlighting the increasing security challenges faced by the region, he stressed the importance of a standby force.
“The Regional Action Plan against Terrorism has improved cooperation in training, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian efforts. Recently, Finance and Defence Ministers met in Abuja to gather funds for the ECOWAS Standby Force to enhance counter-terrorism measures,” President Tinubu stated.
He noted that member states are demonstrating their commitment to security by increasing their defence budgets to acquire necessary equipment and ensure preparedness. He called on member states to invest more resources to secure the region, emphasizing that a peaceful and secure society is crucial for achieving regional potential.
“As we move to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, it is essential to have not only strong political will but also substantial financial resources. We must meet the expectations and recommendations of our Defence and Finance Ministers to counter insecurity and stabilize our region,” President Tinubu added.
He also urged ECOWAS leaders to leverage the expertise of Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which is recognized as one of the best on the continent.
