Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has urged members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to seek collective actions to address the root cause of insecurity in the sub-region.
Tuggar, however, said despite the various challenges, the sub-region has made significant progress including in the area of democracy and governance.
The minister, who spoke at the opening of the 52nd Session of the Mediation and Security Council at the Ministerial level in Abuja highlighted security and humanitarian challenges confronting the subregion.
He stressed that terrorism continues to threaten the collective well-being of the region, while violent extremists operate within and across national borders.
Tuggar who is the Chairman of the Council therefore urged them to come up with collective actions required for ECOWAS to overcome the mirage of challenges.
He said: “We are gathering with a deep sense of purpose and unity — driven by our commitment to securing peace and political stability across our region. As we are all aware, our region faces grave security and humanitarian challenges. Terrorism continues to threaten our collective well-being. Violent extremists operate within and across our national borders, compromising not just our peace and security, but also our prospects for growth and development. Therefore, as we commence our deliberation today, let us be mindful of the critical threats we face – and the collective actions required to overcome them.
“The statistics from the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN) paint a sobering picture. Between January and May 2024, our region has witnessed over 7,000 deaths as a result of more than 800 terrorist incidents. Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have been particularly devastated by this relentless violence. This stark reality highlights the staggering human cost of insecurity and underscores the urgency for coordinated and decisive action to combat this menace.
“Terrorism does not recognise borders. From the Sahel to the coastal States, no country is immune to its devastating impact. It is therefore crucial for every country within ECOWAS, including those in the Sahelian belt, to understand that the fight against terrorism is not the burden of a few but a collective responsibility. Therefore, we must remain united, and demonstrate unwavering commitment and resolve to safeguard the lives and futures of our citizens.
“And as we join forces to find common solutions to the continuing challenge of violent extremism and foreign interference, we should also remain mindful of the broader challenge of cooperation to help tackle the underlying causes of instability in our region: climate change, migration, organized criminal activity, global terms of trade and access to financing. Our task today is to consider how best to meet the immediate symptoms of the condition we face – and also how to establish firmer foundations to reduce inequality and poverty and strengthen democracy.”
Challenging members of the council on providing a way forward for the region, Tuggar said: “Our deliberation today will therefore focus on the Review Process of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. It would be recalled that in an effort to further entrench democracy, the rule of law, and good governance in the region, the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, during its Extraordinary Summit held in Accra, Ghana, in September 2021, initiated the review process.
“Furthermore, this meeting will discuss the transition processes in the region, with a view to making actionable recommendations, in order to achieve progress.
“Despite the challenges that confront our region, ECOWAS has continued to sustain its peace support operations in some Member States, including the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea- Bissau (SSMGB) and the ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), as well as the ongoing plans for the deployment of an ECOWAS Stabilisation Mission in Sierra Leone, given recent developments there. In this regard we will receive a detailed briefing on the Operationalisation of the ECOWAS Security Architecture, focusing on the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), including a progress report on the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, and the outcome of the just concluded meeting of Ministers of Defence and Finance, convened to discuss financing options for the operationalization of the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Force.
“ECOWAS has also been actively addressing humanitarian challenges in the region, through coordinated efforts and strategic interventions in Member States. Through these interventions, food items and other relief materials have been provided to communities most affected by natural disasters and insecurity. Other support includes the establishment of a framework for disaster risk reduction, and collaboration with international partners to ensure a comprehensive response. Our discussion today should also focus on this important issue, with a view to evolving further strategies to address the region’s humanitarian challenges.
“Now more than ever, it is crucial for all Member States to remain united and work together in solidarity to harness the full gamut of our resources, intelligence, and capabilities to develop comprehensive strategies that will address our security challenges and support efforts to promote our region’s economic growth, peace, and political stability.
“This includes enhancing our security architecture, strengthening regional cooperation, encouraging effective intelligence sharing, and promoting resilience within our communities. The operationalisation of the ECOWAS counter-terrorism force and the review of our Regional Action Plans are steps in the right direction, but we must act further, to ensure that these initiatives are robustly funded and effectively implemented.
“As we deliberate over the various memoranda to be presented before us today, let us be guided by the principles of solidarity and shared responsibility, and reaffirm our commitment to peace, democracy, rule of law, and good governance. Let us also pledge to work tirelessly for the security and prosperity of our region, for the overall benefit of our people and the generations to come.
“In conclusion, I urge us all to redouble our efforts in this collective endeavour, and stand together, united against the forces of terror and despair, while striving to build a West Africa that is secure, stable, and thriving for all its citizens.”
In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Aliou Touray expressed concern that the region was still being burdened with multiple interlocking threats, including existential ones, posing significant challenges to the unity of ECOWAS member states.
He said: “As we commemorate the 49th anniversary of our collective regional integration project, our region is still confronted with multiple interlocking threats, including existential ones, posing significant challenges. The Sahel faces climate and man-made crises, leading to terrorism and violent extremism. The Gulf of Guinea faces illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and dumping of toxic waste; thus, affecting livelihoods. Governance deficits and marginalization have strained social contracts, engendering bitter political rivalries, resource competition, organised crime, and violence.
“To complicate the situation, our Region has also become the arena of multipolar geostrategic and geopolitical competition, coupled with the explosion of new destructive technologies.
“The region is also affected by strategies of misinformation and disinformation practices that foster mistrust among stakeholders and undermine social cohesion. We are increasingly witnessing the continued shrinking of the political and civic space, perpetrated through exclusionary constitutional and institutional processes, and breaches of our regional norms and values, including the Constitutional Convergence Criteria of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
“The continued absence of effective communication between the Alliance of Sahelian States and ECOWAS is preoccupying and undermines the unity of purpose of the regional integration agenda. Against this backdrop, our region continues to face challenges of development and the rapidly changing geostrategic and geopolitical environment that further complicates regional cohesion and the integration process.
“Amidst this gloomy picture, however, we are encouraged by the rays of hope in democratic consolidation as demonstrated by recent electoral successes in Senegal and Liberia. In Sierra Leone and The Gambia, ECOWAS has continued to promote dialogue, truth, justice, and reconciliation processes, with promising results.
The commission has, in light of the foregoing, commenced technical preparations towards the holding of an inclusive Special Summit on the Future of Regional Integration in West Africa.
“In our effort to find lasting solutions to this situation, the ECOWAS Ambassadors met on 29 June 2024 at the Mediation and Security Council session to discuss the political and security situation in the Region, to deliberate on the efforts being undertaken by the ECOWAS commission at the political, security, humanitarian and preventive diplomacy levels and to agree on the agenda items for this Session.
Having due regard to the issues highlighted above, during this Session, Your Excellencies will be invited to deliberate on the following memoranda and reports:
Report of the meeting of the 40th MSC at Ambassadorial level Memorandum on the Political, Peace, and Security situations in the Region
Memorandum on the Review Process of the ECOWAS Supplementary Protocol on Democracy & Good Governance Memorandum on Transitions in the Region Memorandum on Guinea Memorandum on the AES States Memorandum on the Operationalisation of the ECOWAS Security Architecture Progress Report on the ECOWAS Logistics Depot
Progress Report on the Stabilization Mission in Sierra Leone Presentation of the Report of the Meeting of Ministers of Finance/Defence Memorandum on the Humanitarian Situation in the Region
Update on the Operationalisation of Early Warning (Response Centres in Member States).
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, I remain confident that your deliberations will contribute to informed conclusions and constructive recommendations for the consideration of the Authority.”
Touray also expressed his profound gratitude and appreciation to His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chair of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, for his informed and indefatigable leadership of the Community.
Likewise, the ECOWAS Commission president commended Yusuf Tuggar, the Chair of the Council, for his guidance, particularly in responding to ongoing challenges in the region and in preparing this 52nd Session of the Mediation and Security Council.
