President Bola Tinubu was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the 65th ordinary session of the authority of ECOWAS heads of state and government in Abuja on Sunday.
In his address, Tinubu stressed the need for a $2.4bn regional standby force to combat terrorism and ensure stability across West Africa.
The Nigerian leader urged fellow ECOWAS members to demonstrate both political will and financial commitment to operationalise the ECOWAS standby force.
Highlighting recent progress, Tinubu noted that the Regional Action Plan against Terrorism has enhanced cooperation in training, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian interventions.
He also commended member countries for individually increasing their defence budgets to acquire necessary equipment and improve preparedness.
Meanwhile, the push for a regional security force also comes amid the recent wave of military coups in West Africa.
The bloc has been making efforts to reverse the exit of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, among others, from ECOWAS, with the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, noting the potential impacts on citizens and regional agreements.
In an interview with THE WHISTLER, Professor Adriano Nuvunga, Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Mozambique, attempted to explain why ECOWAS under President Tinubu has been unable to address coups in the sub-region.
According to Nuvunga, the generational disconnect between older leaders like Tinubu and younger military leaders who have seized power in those countries may be hampering effective communication and influence.
Nuvunga called for a “generational transformation” within ECOWAS, arguing that younger leaders are more invested in long-term stability and development.
Tinubu Secures 2nd Term As ECOWAS Chair Amid Push For $2.4bn Standby Force is first published on The Whistler Newspaper