President Bola Tinubu has expressed disappointment over the failure to activate the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) standby force despite commitments from regional leaders, describing the delay as "taking longer than desired."
Speaking at the 67th ECOWAS Authority's Ordinary Session in Abuja on Sunday, Tinubu, who is concluding his tenure as chairman of the 50-year-old regional bloc, emphasized that the standby force must transition "from concept to operational reality" amid escalating insecurity across West Africa.
"I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired," Tinubu stated, highlighting the urgency of implementing this security mechanism.
Transnational Threats Require Collective Action
The Nigerian leader underscored that security challenges facing the region transcend national boundaries and are perpetrated by "agile and dangerous networks that respect nobody's border."
"No single nation can, therefore, address these challenges alone. We must strengthen coordination, amplify political will, and prioritise a collective approach to secure it," he added, calling for enhanced regional cooperation.
Progress on Regional Security Infrastructure
Despite his concerns, Tinubu highlighted significant achievements during his chairmanship, including the completion of the ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone. This facility is expected to play a crucial role in providing equipment and logistics support to forces deployed by ECOWAS.
"Last February in Addis Ababa, Nigeria signed the Sixth Agreement with the African Union. With the depot's completion, Nigeria is committing itself to sea-lift and air-lift arrangements with ECOWAS," Tinubu revealed.
The 67th Ordinary Summit also included discussions on electing new leadership for the regional organization as Tinubu prepares to hand over the chairmanship.
The ECOWAS Standby Force has been a long-planned regional security mechanism designed to respond to crises, combat terrorism, and address transnational crimes across West Africa, but its full operationalization has faced numerous challenges and delays.
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