President Bola Tinubu has been re-elected as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The re-election took place during the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria.
Upon accepting his re-election, President Tinubu appointed the President of Senegal to assist in mediation efforts with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad.
Tinubu also urged member states to fulfill their financial commitments to the regional body to effectively address security challenges. He emphasized that substantial financial resources are crucial for operationalizing the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) and combating terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism.
With his one-year tenure as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority set to expire on July 9, Tinubu stressed the importance of meeting financial obligations to stabilize the region and counter insecurity. He argued that by fulfilling their commitments, ECOWAS member states would demonstrate their dedication to regional security and cooperation, enabling the community to better address the security challenges facing West Africa.
According to him, “Let me underscore that a peaceful and secure society is essential for achieving our potentials, move to operationalise the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasise that the success of this plan requires, not only strong political will, but also substantial financial resources.
“We must therefore ensure that we meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our ministers of Defense and Finance in order to counter the insecurity and stabilise our region. Member states must make extra commitment on providing resources for stabilizing the region.
“To this end, I urge ECOWAS to leverage on the capability of the Nigeria National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC), which is widely acknowledge as one of the best on the continent.
“The Nigerian government has decided to declare the NCTC as a regional centre to enable all ECOWAS member states benefit from capacity building and other related opportunities it offers.
“Your excellencies, dear heads of state, I urge those of you with time to visit the centre before your departure and assess first-hand on the facilities and the capabilities of NCTC”, President Tinubu said.
President Tinubu also called on ECOWAS member states to unite and develop innovative strategies to unlock the region’s economic potential and promote prosperity.
He recognized the economic challenges impeding progress and emphasized the need for partnerships, investment, and infrastructure development.
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