The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, is to revitalise its Regional Standby Force to support member states to respond to threat of terrorism as well as threat posed by unconstitutional change of government.
The President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, said this in Abuja, Nigeria while addressing the 2023 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament on the Status of implementation of the Community Work and Programmes.
Dr. Touray said the regional body would now take more aggressive measures to end terrorism and the unconstitutional seizure of power in West Africa.
He said; “We have indicated that we are working to revitalise our regional standby force so that they can support member states to respond to the threats of terrorism as well as threats posed by unconstitutional change of government.
“On the regional action against terrorism, we have been advised by experts from the national security agencies to prioritise the deployment of assistance to existing regional arrangements.
” Among the arrangements are the Accra Initiative, the G5 Sahel, and the Multinational Joint Task Force, all within the framework of the ECOWAS Action Plan.
Dr. Touray also said the Commission was working with the national Commissions on small arms in the region’s efforts to tackle the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
