Tinubu Secures Second Term As Ecowas Chairman,Renews Appeal for Regional Standby Force

By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde 

President Bola Tinubu has urged the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS to work towards establishing and maintaining a regional standby force for the security and economic advancement of the community after securing a second term as the Chairman of the West African Regional body.

OPEN TELEVISION Naija reports that during the opening of the 65th Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in Abuja on Sunday, President Tinubu, who was unanimously re-elected as the Chairman of the regional bloc, emphasized the necessity of a standby force amid rising security threats.

"The Regional Action Plan against Terrorism has enhanced cooperation on training, intelligence sharing, and humanitarian interventions. Recently, the Ministers of Finance and Defence met in Abuja to raise funds for activating the ECOWAS Standby Force to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts."

"Member countries are also showing their commitment to combating insecurity by increasing their defence budgets individually to acquire necessary equipment and ensure preparedness," President Tinubu stated.

President Tinubu called on member states to commit more resources to securing the region.

"Let me underscore that a peaceful and secure society is essential for achieving our potential." 

"As we move to operationalize the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism, I must emphasize that the success of this plan requires not only strong political will, but also substantial financial resources," Tinubu furthered. 

"We must, therefore, ensure that we meet the expectations and recommendations set forth by our Ministers of Defence and Finance in order to counter insecurity and stabilize our region," President Tinubu added.

OPEN TELEVISION Naija further reports that President Tinubu advised that "ECOWAS leaders to leverage the capabilities of Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which has been widely acknowledged as one of the best on the continent."