The Chiefs of Defence Staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have reiterated their commitment to regional security, pledging to strengthen peacekeeping and counter-terrorism efforts across the subregion.
This renewed commitment was made during the closing ceremony of the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja. During the meeting, the subregional bloc activated a 5,000-man standby force to combat terrorism in West Africa.
Speaking on behalf of the Defence Chiefs, the Chairman of the committee and Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, stated that the three-day meeting focused on enhancing security cooperation and forming a unified front against threats to regional stability. He noted that the Defence Chiefs had identified key vulnerabilities and reaffirmed their determination to address them.
Discussions covered the deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force, the establishment of an ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade, and the strategic rotation of peace support officers. Musa highlighted the importance of collective action, acknowledging that while there were concerns among members, the overall resolve to strengthen regional security remained firm.
“Over the past days, we have deliberated on critical security concerns in the West African subregion, including the review of pledges for the ECOWAS Standby Force, consideration of pledges for the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Brigade, and the rotation of staff officers for Peace Support Operations,” Musa stated.
Other key discussions included the outcome of the Governmental Experts Meeting on the ECOWAS Logistics Concept and Standing Operating Procedures for the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi. The meeting also reviewed the report of the last ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Naval Staff Meeting and explored the standardization of the Table of Equipment for the ECOWAS Standby Force.
Musa described the deliberations as “fruitful and productive,” emphasizing that they would lead to concrete actions to further strengthen collective efforts in achieving a more secure and prosperous region.
