The New Experience Newspapers Online News Indepth, Analysis and More
The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has restated their resolve to curb terrorism in the region.
It explained that it would recommend a special summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Governments to address the issue and create a forum to share intelligence among member states.
New Chairman of the CCDS, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, who assumed the role during its 39th Ordinary meeting at the ECOWAS Parliament, stated this yesterday in Abuja.
He pointed out that to combat terrorism, there was the need for member states to intensify intelligence gathering and joint operations, as well as collaborate with stakeholders and partners to ensure peace and security in the region.
He advocated full implementation of the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Strategy (ECTS) to streamline all initiatives in the fight against terrorism, adding: “This was as a result of initiatives such as the G-5 Sahel, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Accra Initiative.
The committee also reviewed the status of current operations of ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) and ECOWAS Mission in The Gambia (ECOMIG), their funding and proposed exit strategies.
It further deliberated on stockpiles management and preparation for ECOWAS Command Post Exercise-JIGUI IV, which aims to test capability of ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to conduct strategic and operational level planning for multidimensional operations and exercise command and control of deployed forces on a simulated ECOWAS/African Union (AU) mandated Peace Support Operations.
Expressing his gratitude at the end of the meeting, ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, General Francis Béhanzin approved the recommendations of participants.
He charged the committee and officers to closely monitor achievements in their respective regions and enjoined officers of the Defense Committee to immediately translate all recommendations into action.
Speaking, Permanent Secretary of Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence, Nuratu Batagarawa, congratulated the participants on the success of the meeting and expressed appreciation to the Armed Forces and ECOWAS Commission’s President.