ECOWAS Leaders To Invest $1billion Against Terrorism

The Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has finally agreed to invest a total of $1billion on war chest against terrorism and other security challenges in the sub-region and the Sahel.

President Muhammadu Buhari made this known during a high-level meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the State of Peace and Security in Africa at the 33rd African Union(AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the weekend. Buhari also commended the renewed vigour by ECOWAS members to mobilise their own resources to combat terrorism.

“In Burkina Faso, we (ECOWAS) pledged to mobilize $1 billion to address the challenges of insecurity in our region and the Sahel, ” the President said.

Buhari also called for new strategies by the AU to effectively prevent, manage and resolve conflicts in the face of new circumstances and emerging challenges. He also stressed the need for new strategies to resolve conflicts on the continent,

saying :

“The AU must strengthen its own capacity for mediation and develop an effective intervention roadmap.”

Buhari also welcomed the decision of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) to adopt the regional stabilisation strategy for the Lake Chad Basin and the renewal of mandates of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel Joint Force.