Insecurity challenges in the West African subregion can only be effectively tackled if a common strategy is adopted by member states, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.
Meanwhile, the Economic Community Of West African States ( ECOWAS) heads of states and governments have elected President Issoufou Mahamadou of Niger as the chair of ECOWAS for a one-year term.
Mr Mahamadou was elected at the 55th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS leaders on Saturday in Abuja, taking over from the outgone President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria.
A communiqué read by Mustapha Suleiman, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that the leaders lauded Mr Buhari for his commitment to regional integration.
ECOWAS also agreed to hold its next ordinary session on Dec. 21 in Abuja.
The presidents of 13 of the 15 heads of state were in attendance for the session.
They are the presidents of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
Cabo Verde was represented by Julio Cesar Lopes, Minister of Regional Integration and Senegal was represented by Amadou Ba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Senegalese Abroad.
The session was also attended by the president of ECOWAS Commission Jean-Claude Brou and Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel.
Others in attendance were president of the International Criminal Court, Justice Chile Eboe-Osuji and Mr Abdallah, president of the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union.
Speaking earlier, Buhari said: ”Taking into account the transnational nature of the threats confronting us, the need for the adoption of a common strategy at the national and regional level to combat them, has become imperative.
”By so doing, we will reinforce our actions and resources for a more effective response to protect our citizens and secure our common space.
”While I acknowledge that several initiatives and measures have been taken in our respective countries recent developments have shown that we must cooperate more effectively to achieve our goals.
”We should send a strong and unified message to the perpetrators of violence that we are resolute in our collective determination to confront and defeat them.”
According to him, member states of the ECOWAS must remain focus in their collective endeavor in the areas of peace and stability so as to achieve the set goal of the organization.
He said the call had become imperative in view of the fact that despite the overall appreciable progress made, particularly in the field of political governance, the sub-region had continued to face considerable security challenges.
”We are all witnesses to the recurring incidents of inter-communal clashes, herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorist attacks in all our countries.
”These threats, you will agree with me, have consequences on the peaceful co-existence between our communities and peoples as well as their livelihoods.
”This unrest also undermines all our efforts in achieving full regional integration. It is, therefore, necessary that we act collectively to end this menace in the interest of regional stability and wellbeing of our people,” he said.
President Buhari, therefore, expressed the organisation’s sincere sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims of terrorist attacks, banditry and inter-communal clashes perpetrated by some misguided elements in the societies.
He assured that the regional leaders would not relent in their efforts to protect the peace loving people and their properties, while vigorously sustaining the war against terrorism and criminality.
NAN quoted the Nigerian leader as saying the organization continued to strive to create a secure, stable and prosperous environment in West Africa, member states must also intensify efforts to ensure sustainable economic and social development in the sub-region.
He said, by doing so, the member states would be able to tackle poverty and youth unemployment and contribute to sustained stability in their respective countries.
”Considering the high level of interest you all attach to regional cooperation and integration, I am confident that our Summit will witness robust discussions and produce sound decisions,” he added.
