West African Defence Chiefs Chart New Modalities Against Terrorism

The Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) of the member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have mapped out new strategies on how to tackle the incessant terrorist attacks in the sub-region.

According to a statement issued at the weekend by the Communications Division of the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, the fight against terror was the focus of the extraordinary meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) held on December 19, 2022, in Bissau, Guinea Bissau.

The Defence Chiefs met on the instruction of the Sixty-Second Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, which held on December 4, 2022, in Abuja, Nigeria, to urgently study and propose the options, modalities and financial and technical means for the urgent operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force, including a special kinetic operation to combat terrorism in the Region as well as unconstitutional changes in Members States.

In his welcome remarks, Gen. Biague Nan tam, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Guinea Bissau and the chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, highlighted that the CCDS is meeting to chart a viable cause so that together they can effectively fight terrorism. He added that by pulling resources together they can raise the needed resources to meet the expectations of the affected people.

Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, commissioner, Internal Services of the ECOWAS Commission, representing Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, in his statement highlighted the negative impact of terrorism on the peace and security of the Region. He added that there is a need for concerted effort, consultations, and intelligence coordination to tackle terrorism.

While welcoming the Defence Chiefs, Engr. Marciano Silva Barbeiro, Minister of State, Defence and Veterans of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, emphasised the need to find solutions to guarantee peace and security in the Region.

In her opening statement Suzi Carla Barbosa, senior minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Communities of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and chair of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers emphasised that it is time to react and work strategically to defeat the scourge of terrorism and mitigate the impacts in the region.