Latest news with #ECOWASStandbyForce
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
ECOWAS gets a new leader at pivotal time for West Africa
ECOWAS gets a new leader at pivotal time for West Africa (Image: AP) Nigerian President Bola Tinubu led the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for just under two years as its rotating chairman. But, in that short period, the main political and economic body in the region witnessed some of the biggest challenges in its history. With terror attacks and other security concerns ongoing, the ability of ECOWAS to respond to threats has been further reduced following the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the bloc under the leadership of their respective military rulers. Tinubu acknowledged as much in his speech at the ECOWAS summit over the weekend in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. The president expressed concern about the stalled process of rolling out an expanded ECOWAS Standby Force, which is made up of military, civilian and police components. The force was conceived in 2024 following the departures of the three Sahel nations, which established their own Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023. "The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to operational reality," Tinubu said, highlighting the need for a ready force to combat terrorism as well as other forms of organized crime in West Africa. "I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired." The ECOWAS coffers received a fresh cash injection from the European Union last week of €110 million ($126 million) — though this is still a far cry from the estimated cost of €2.26 billion needed for the activation of the Standby Force. 'A completely fractured region' Though he expressed optimism that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger would eventually "return to the family," Tinubu said he had exhausted "all diplomatic means to engage and dialogue with our brothers." The countries have categorically ruled out rejoining ECOWAS. "You now have a completely fractured region," Beverly Ochieng, a senior associate who specializes in the Sahel at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told DW, citing successive coups in West Africa. "So you have three countries that have basically walked out of the bloc," Ochieng said. "You have one that's still under suspension until it holds its elections, and that is Guinea. And, broadly speaking, you have an ECOWAS that sometimes feels as if it is struggling to be able to just maintain a sense of unity in order for them to be able to face some of those challenges as a united front." Opposing alliances working together The AES has openly defied the authority that ECOWAS has established in the region over the past 50 years, and has been used as an example to underscore accusations that Tinubu showed too much resolve against the junta-led Sahel states during his ECOWAS presidency. "The rhetoric initially in response to the military coups may have been misplaced in the sense of ensuring open dialogue and cooperation," Ochieng said of Tinubu's hardball approach. Perhaps now as a gentle signal of rapprochement — or a final sign of defeat — ECOWAS also announced during its summit in Abuja that it had reached an agreement with the military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to work together in their fight against terrorism throughout the region. Ochieng said the effort was mainly based on "a realization by ECOWAS that they will ultimately have to find a way to work with the Sahel because the issues that affect the Sahel will ultimately have an impact on ECOWAS." The agreement stipulates that the principle of freedom of movement of goods and people between member states of both alliances will be maintained. A new chairman The new ECOWAS chairman, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio, clearly has his work cut out for him — and he knows it, as the bloc faces unprecedented threats to its integrity. "The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region," Bio said in his opening remarks as ECOWAS president. "In some countries, the constitutional order has been disrupted." DW's Ben Shemang, who reported from the ECOWAS summit in Abuja, said Bio had pledged to prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration and the institutional credibility of ECOWAS during his tenure. "Many are expecting a tenure that will not only strengthen security within the regional bloc but also to ensure unity," Shemang said. Organized crime on the rise The issues are piling up on Bio's desk. Organized crime is on the rise in West Africa against the backdrop of political and economic instability, and it often straddles multiple national borders, with insurgents mixing with criminals. Abductions for ransom, a spike in recreational drug abuse and a rise in illegal mining practices highlight the growing despair of people throughout a region with an overall population of 425 million people. "ECOWAS and some of its departments will talk about levels of crime, they'll talk about the issues affecting criminality," Ochieng said. "But when it comes to implementing measures to be able to counter to some of those vices, it's quite slow and bureaucratic." Threats of further fragmentation The founding of the AES has also emboldened leaders as well as opposition groups in the region and beyond to seek new directions, with many interpreting the actions of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger as an overdue response to the lingering effects of colonialism. A recent survey in Togo carried out by the independent, pan-African research network Afrobarometer found that 64 percent of Togolese respondents found the establishment of the AES "somewhat" or "very" justified and that that 54 percent of Togolese thought their country would benefit from leaving ECOWAS to join the AES. Guinea, which has also been under military rule for close to four years but has not joined the AES, remains suspended from ECOWAS, which could lead the nation to further distance itself from the bloc. Uphill battles for both ECOWAS and the AES Such trends can be interpreted as evidence of the waning influence of former colonial powers, but they also reflect the fact that bodies such as ECOWAS appear to have little impact on people's daily lives, as instability and unrest continue to affect millions. "Understandably, there is a feeling that [ECOWAS] is not fit for purpose in terms of being able to address current political pressures, and in doing so, being able to address the issues that then lead to economic and civil unrest," Ochieng said. She added that ideas like "joining the AES feel like a more reactionary solution. And even the AES itself is a very reactionary institution." "Perhaps the AES could be moving in a direction that people feel is admirable, that is very purposeful, that is very driven, but it's also on a very fragile foundation," Ochieng said. "These are military leaderships. They have widespread unrest and instability that they are facing as they are trying to establish this institution." Growing numbers of people in the region nevertheless appear to be showing their support for strongmen tactics over democratic and consensus-led policies. Bio seemed to be aware of the big task that lies ahead as he begins his tenure. During his opening speech, the new leader of the bloc acknowledged that "ECOWAS must reform itself, and become more transparent, efficient and responsive to its people's needs."
DW
5 days ago
- Politics
- DW
ECOWAS gets a new leader at pivotal time for West Africa – DW – 06/24/2025
Sierra Leone's president is assuming the rotating leadership of the Economic Community of West African States. Under previous chairman Bola Tinubu ECOWAS faced some of the greatest challenges in its 50-year history. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu led the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for just under two years as its rotating chairman. But, in that short period, the main political and economic body in the region witnessed some of the biggest challenges in its history. With terror attacks and other security concerns ongoing, the ability of ECOWAS to respond to threats has been further reduced following the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the bloc under the leadership of their respective military rulers. Tinubu acknowledged as much in his speech at the ECOWAS summit over the weekend in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. The president expressed concern about the stalled process of rolling out an expanded ECOWAS Standby Force, which is made up of military, civilian and police components. The force was conceived in 2024 following the departures of the three Sahel nations. "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," Tinubu said, highlighting the need for a ready force to combat terrorism as well as other forms of organized crime in West Africa. While also having faith that Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger would eventually "return to the family," Tinubu also highlighted the fact that he had exhausted "all diplomatic means to engage and dialogue with our brothers" during his tenure. The three nations, however, have categorically ruled out any suggestions of rejoining the fold. Beverly Ochieng, a senior associate at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, says that in the wake of multiple coups in West Africa "you now have a completely fractured region." "So you have three countries that have basically walked out of the bloc; you have one that's still under suspension until it holds its elections, and that is Guinea; and broadly speaking, you have an ECOWAS that sometimes feels as if it is struggling to be able to just maintain a sense of unity in order for them to be able to face some of those challenges as a united front," Ochieng told DW. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video To add insult to injury, the establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) by the three renegade former ECOWAS members in 2023 openly defies the bloc's established authority in the region for the past 50 years, and has been used as an example to underscore accusations of Tinubu showing too much resolve against the junta-led Sahel states during his ECOWAS presidency. "The rhetoric initially in response to the military coups may have been misplaced in the sense of ensuring open dialogue and cooperation," says Ocheing, referring to Tinubu's hardball approach. Perhaps now as a gentle signal of rapprochement — or a final sign of defeat — ECOWAS also announced during its summit in Abuja last week that it had reached an agreement with the military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to work together in their fight against terrorism throughout the region. According to Ochieng, however, this move is mainly based on "a realization by ECOWAS that they will ultimately have to find a way to work with the Sahel because the issues that affect the Sahel will ultimately have an impact on ECOWAS." The agreement further stipulates that the principle of freedom of movement of goods and persons between member states of both alliances will also be maintained. Under these circumstances, ECOWAS' new chairman, Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio, clearly has his work cut out for him and knows it, too, as the unity of the bloc and indeed much of the entire region is facing unprecedented threats to its integrity. Bio himself stated in his opening remarks as ECOWAS president that "the democratic space is under strain in parts of our region. In some countries, the constitutional order has been disrupted," referring in no uncertain terms to the military takeovers of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Guinea in recent years. DW's Ben Shemang, who reported from the ECOWAS summit in Abuja last week, said that Bio had pledged to prioritize democracy, security cooperation, economic integration and the institutional credibility of ECOWAS during his tenure. "Many are expecting a tenure that will not only strengthen security within the regional bloc but also to ensure unity," Shemang explained. But at the same time, there are new issues piling up on the new leader's desk in addition to the widespread erosion of civilian rule and the proliferation of Islamist threats across West Africa: Organized crime is on the rise in West Africa against the backdrop of both political and economic instability, and it often straddles multiple national borders where insurgents mixing with criminals has resulted in growing unrest. Abductions for ransom, a spike in recreational drug abuse and a rise in illegal mining practices highlight the growing despair of people throughout a region with an overall population of 425 million people. If ECOWAS was a country with all its current, as well as former member states, it would be the third most-populous state in the world after Indiaand China. "ECOWAS and some of its departments will talk about levels of crime, they'll talk about the issues affecting criminality. But when it comes to implementing measures to be able to counter to some of those vices, it's quite slow and bureaucratic," says Ochieng. The bloc's coffers, meanwhile, just received a fresh cash injection from the European Union last week of €110 million ($126 million) — though this is still a far cry from the estimated cost of €2.26 billion needed for the activation of ECOWAS' Standby Force — outgoing ECOWAS President Tinubu's pet project. The foundation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), meanwhile, has also emboldened leaders as well as opposition groups in the region and beyond to seek new directions, with many interpreting the actions of these three countries as an overdue response to the lingering effects of colonialism and attempts at neo-colonialism. A recent survey in Togo carried out by the independent, pan-African research network Afrobarometer found that 64% of Togolese respondents found the establishment of the AES "somewhat" or "very" justified and that that 54% of Togolese thought their country would benefit from leaving ECOWAS to join the Alliance of Sahel States. Meanwhile, Guinea, which has also been under military rule for close to four years now but has not joined the AES, remains suspended from ECOWAS in a delicate balancing act which, if there's further discord, could also lead to the West African nation further distancing itself from the bloc. Such trends can be interpreted as evidence of the waning influence of former colonial powers but also reflect the fact that bodies like ECOWAS appear to have little impact on people's daily lives, as instability and unrest continue to affect millions. "Understandably, there is a feeling that [ECOWAS] is not fit for purpose in terms of being able to address current political pressures, and in doing so, being able to address the issues that then lead to economic and civil unrest," Ochieng told DW. She added that ideas like "joining the AES feel like a more reactionary solution. And even the AES itself is a very reactionary institution." "Perhaps the AES could be moving in a direction that people feel is admirable, that is very purposeful, that is very driven, but it's also on a very fragile foundation. These are military leaderships. They have widespread unrest and instability that they are facing as they are trying to establish this institution," she added. As growing numbers of people in the region nevertheless appear to be showing their support for strongmen tactics over democratic and consensus-led policies, Maada Bio is aware of this big task that lies ahead as he begins his tenure. During his opening speech, the new leader of the bloc acknowledged that "ECOWAS must reform itself, and become more transparent, efficient and responsive to its people's needs." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Zawya
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) successfully concluded its 43rd Ordinary Meeting in Abuja
The 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Staff (CCDS), held from 11 to 13 March 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, has ended with the result that regional security and cooperation within the Community have been better promoted and a common front has been established to meet security challenges. Addressing his fellow members of the Committee at the closing ceremony, General Christopher Musa, Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman of the CCDS said: '… In the course of our deliberations, we identified critical vulnerabilities to regional security and demonstrated our firm resolve towards addressing these threats. As expected, there were areas of concern between members but more importantly there was firm resolve on the need for collective action. This is the spirit of this gathering which is firmly rooted in a resolute commitment to meeting our primary obligation as members of the armed and defence forces of our respective countries which is to defend and protect our peoples from harm and insecurities.' General Christopher Musa concluded his remarks by stating that he was convinced that the results and recommendations of the discussions and deliberations would address the issues and challenges facing the region, and that they would certainly lead to concrete actions that would further strengthen collective efforts to achieve a safer and more prosperous Community. We should recall that, the deliberations of this 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff Committee focused on key security issues in the West African sub-region. Some of these areas, include the review of pledges for ECOWAS Standby Force, consideration of pledges for ECOWAS Counter-terrorist Brigade and the rotation of Staff Officers of Peace Support Operation Divisions and ECOWAS Standby Force. The meeting also provided an opportunity to present the results of the meeting of government experts on the ECOWAS logistics concept and the standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi (Sierra Leone) and to examine the report of the last meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Naval Staff Committee. Furthermore, a presentation was made on Standardization of the Table of Equipment for ECOWAS Standby Force. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Zawya
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
43rd Ordinary Meeting of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Chiefs of Staff (CCDS): Fight against the Growing threat of terrorism in the region on the agenda
The 43rd Ordinary Meeting of The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) opened on Tuesday, 11 March 2025, in Abuja, capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This three (3) day meeting was convened to examine the general security situation in the region, in particular the growing threat of terrorism in the region as well as the consequences and security challenges following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Organisation. This 43rd CCDS meeting will consider several items on the agenda, namely (i) consideration of the implementation of the recommendations of its 42nd ordinary meeting held on 7 August 2024 in Abuja, (ii) consideration of the report of the ECOWAS Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting held from 25 to 27 February 2025 in Cabo Verde, (iii) the rotation of officers of the ECOWAS Standby Force and (iv) consideration of the outcome of the meeting of government experts on the ECOWAS logistics concept and standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone. In addition, (v) an analysis of the challenges and consequences of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS, (vi) a review of commitments to the Anti-Terrorist Brigade of the ECOWAS Standby Force, and (vii) an update on the ECOWAS mission in The Gambia and the ECOWAS mission to support the stabilisation of Guinea Bissau are also on the agenda of the 43rd CCDS meeting. At the opening ceremony, some prominent figures gave speeches, including H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Nigeria's Minister of Defence, who called for closer cooperation to improve regional defence capabilities against any security threat. He also called for good collaboration, shared expertise and the pooling of resources to combat terrorism and insecurity in the West African region. For his part, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah (PhD), ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said that regional security today is marked by an increase in the activities of armed terrorist groups (TAGs) and violent extremist groups (VEGs), as well as transnational organised crime (TOC). Commissioner Dr Abdel-Fatau Musah stressed the need to reflect on the defence architecture in the light of the changing regional political situation following the withdrawal of the three Sahel countries from ECOWAS. General Christopher Musa, Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces, who chairs the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff Committee, reaffirmed the commitment of the armed forces to security and democratic governance in West Africa, noting that 'security challenges in the countries and regions constitute a threat that includes terrorism and organised crime'. On the sidelines of this 43rd meeting of the Chiefs of Staff, ECOWAS officially donated a large consignment of IT equipment to Nigeria's National Defence College. The National Defence College is the apex military training institution for the Nigerian Armed Forces, and a Centre of Excellence for peace support operations training at the strategic level in West Africa. It was established in 1992 as the highest military institution for the training of senior military officers in Nigeria. The meeting will be attended by the Chiefs of Staff of the armies of ECOWAS Member States, accompanied by their Chiefs of Operations, Brigadier General Mactar DIOP, Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force, Dr. Cyriaque Agnekethom, and the Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Task Force, Cyriaque Agnekethom, ECOWAS Director of Peacekeeping and Regional Security and experts from the ECOWAS Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
