President Bola Tinubu has urged his West African
colleagues on the need to urgently activate the ECOWAS Standby Force to deal
with terrorism in the sub-region.
The Nigerian leader expressed concern over the slow
pace of its operation, stressing the need to move from concept to reality in
the collective fight against terrorism.
Tinubu raised the concern in his opening speech at the
67th ECOWAS Authority’s Ordinary Session in Abuja, one of his last acts as
chairman of the 50-year-old regional economic bloc.
The Nigerian leader emphasised the urgency of
operationalising the force in the face of escalating insecurity across the
sub-region.
“The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to
operational reality.
“I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its
activation, which is taking longer than desired.
“Threats confronting the region are transnational,
driven by agile and dangerous networks that respect nobody’s border.
“No single nation can, therefore, address these
challenges alone.
“We must strengthen coordination, amplify political
will, and prioritise a collective approach to secure it,” he said
The president highlighted major milestones during his
leadership of the regional bloc.
He said the completed ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot
in Lungi, Sierra Leone, will play a critical role in providing equipment and
other logistics to forces deployed by ECOWAS.
“Last February in Addis Ababa, Nigeria signed the
Sixth Agreement with the African Union.
“With the depot’s completion, Nigeria is committing
itself to sea-lift and air-lift arrangements with ECOWAS,” he said.
Tinubu expressed the hope that ongoing diplomatic
engagements with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger will eventually lead to their
return to the community.
“Under my chairmanship, I deployed all diplomatic
means to engage and dialogue with our brothers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and
Niger.
” I am confident that before too long, they may return
to the family, ” he said.
The Nigerian leader called for deeper economic cooperation, empowering the
private sector, and removing trade barriers to unlock West Africa’s potential.
“Our intra-regional trade remains low, even as we
possess the potential to be an economic powerhouse.
“We must create the enabling environment, empower the
private sector, and create the conditions necessary for innovation to
flourish,” he said.
He called for the speedy implementation of key
regional infrastructure projects—including the West African Gas Pipeline, West
African Power Pool, and Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway.
He said these projects will serve as catalysts for the
development and integration of the region.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports Presidents in attendance at the Summit include: Julius Bio (Sierra Leone), Joseph Boakai (Liberia), Bassirou Diomaye Faye (Senegal), John Mahama (Ghana), Adama Barrow (The Gambia), Patrice Talon (Republic of Benin), and Jean Lucien de Tové (Togo).
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