Amb Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, has lamented the devastating effects of terrorism on the peace and security of the ECOWAS region.
Tuggar disclosed this at the 52nd Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Ministerial Level in Abuja on Wednesday.
“The statistics from the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN) paint a sobering picture. Between January and May 2024, our region has witnessed over 7,000 deaths as a result of more than 800 terrorist incidents.
“Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have been particularly devastated by this relentless violence. This stark reality highlights the staggering human cost of insecurity and underscores the urgency for coordinated and decisive action to combat this menace,” Tuggar who is the Chairman of the MSC said.
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While emphasising the need for unity of purpose in tackling menace, he said terrorism does not recognise borders.
“From the Sahel to the coastal States, no country is immune to its devastating impact,” he said, adding: “It is therefore crucial for every country within ECOWAS, including those in the Sahelian belt, to understand that the fight against terrorism is not the burden of a few but a collective responsibility.”
“Therefore, we must remain united, and demonstrate unwavering commitment and resolve to safeguard the lives and futures of our citizens.”
Tuggar mentioned climate change, migration, organised criminal activity, global terms of trade and access to financing as other challenges the regional bloc should find solutions to.
On his part, the President of ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, decried the lingering threats that have posed significant challenges to the sub-region, amidst the commemoration of the commission’s 49th anniversary of the regional integration project.
He said the Gulf of Guinea had faced illegal fishing, drug trafficking and dumping of toxic waste, thus affecting livelihoods.
Touray said: “Governance deficits and marginalisation have strained social contracts, engendering bitter political rivalries, resource competition, organised crime and violence.
“To complicate the situation, our sub-region had also become the arena of multipolar geostrategic and geopolitical competition coupled with the explosion of new destructive technologies.
“The region is also affected by strategies of misinformation and disinformation practices that foster mistrust among stakeholders and undermine social cohesion.”
Mr Leonardo Simao, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) said the meeting provided a platform for the UN and ECOWAS to deepen their partnership.
“We will continue to engage relevant stakeholders in and beyond the sub-region as part of the contribution to find a lasting solution to the stand-off between ECOWAS and three member states,” Simao said.
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