President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has warned against threat to sub-regional peace which has grown due to terrorism and a developing trend of military takeover even as he urged quick and coordinated action.
Tinubu, after his emergence as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, at the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Guinea-Bissau on Sunday, stated that terrorism and a climate of insecurity were impeding the region’s growth and development and urged member states to act jointly.
Under his direction, Tinubu promised to harmonise frameworks to make the aspirations of ECOWAS a reality.
In terms of peace and security, the threat has grown seriously, necessitating immediate action to solve the problems, the new ECOWAS chairman said.
“In fact, the region’s progress and development would continue to elude us without a tranquil environment. Indeed, without a peaceful environment, progress and development in the region will continue to remain elusive.
“In this regard, we must remain committed to the utilization of all regional frameworks at our disposal to address the menace of insecurity”, he added.
The President noted that ECOWAS had developed a security architecture that covers a wide range of areas that involve kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including preventive diplomacy.
He added that there is also the Regional Plan of Action on Fight Against Terrorism 2020–2024 as well as the operations of the ECOWAS Standby Force on Fight Against Terrorism.
Tinubu assured that these plans will be immediately harmonized in addition to mobilization of resources as well as the political will towards the actualization of the initiatives.
The President expressed his gratitude and honor for being given the opportunity to lead the regional organization upon becoming Chairman and participating in the summit for the first time. As a result, he vowed to serve the community’s interests with an unwavering dedication.
“Indeed, I’m humbled and honoured by this trust, and want to assure you of my unalloyed commitment to provide the necessary leadership with dedication to serve the interest of the community”, he stated.
Tinubu stated that he will prioritize political stability, peace, and security, regional economic integration, and strengthening of ECOWAS institutions in order to demonstrate his commitment to regional integration.
He proclaimed that democracy and sound governance remained the enduring pillars of stability and long-term growth.
The Chairman urged ECOWAS to be steadfast in defending democracy while denouncing the trend of coups d’etat in West Africa where military abridged the people mandate.
“We must stand firm on democracy. There is no governance, freedom and rule of law without Democracy. We will not accept coup after coup in West Africa again. Democracy is very difficult to manage but it is the best form of government.
“There is no one here among us who did not campaign to be a leader. We didn’t give our soldiers resources, we didn’t invest in them, in their boots, in their training to violate the freedom of the people.
“To turn their guns against civil authorities is a violation of the principles upon which they were hired, which is, to defend the sovereignty of their nations. We must not sit in ECOWAS as toothless bulldogs”, the President warned.
Tinubu, on the imperative of political stability in West Africa, said: “You will all agree with me that democracy and good governance are the cornerstones of peace and sustainable development of every society.
“I’m fully committed to deepening democracy and good governance in the region”.
The new Chairman urged the Heads of State and Government to strengthen their democratic institutions and ensure the respect for human rights and the rule of law promising to enhance engagements with the countries in transition to ensure their quick return to democratic rule.
