The newly elected chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to democracy as the best form of governance.
Tinubu, who is the leader of Nigeria, was in Bissau with fellow West African leaders where he promised firmness in the face of coups.
Records have it that the 15-member bloc has witnessed a total of five coups in 3 member countries since 2020.
“Without democracy there’s no governance, there’s no freedom, there’s no rule of law. We will not allow coup after coup in West Africa sub-region,” Tinubu said.
A press statement from Dele Alake, special adviser to the president on special duties, communications and strategy, which was made available to newsmen said Tinubu warned that the threat to peace in the sub-region had reached an alarming proportion with terrorism and an emerging pattern of military takeover that demanded urgent and concerted actions.
According to him, insecurity and creeping terrorism were stunting the progress and development of the region.
The Nigerian leader called for collective action from member states, pledging that under his leadership, frameworks would be harmonized to actualize the dreams of ECOWAS.
Tinubu averred that ECOWAS had developed a security architecture that covers a wide range of areas that involved kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including preventive diplomacy. There is also the Regional Plan of Action on the Fight Against Terrorism 2020-2024 as well as the operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force on the Fight Against Terrorism.
He said “I will ensure that we immediately harmonize these plans and mobilize resources as well as the political will towards the actualization of the initiatives. As terrorists do not respect boundaries, we must work collectively to have an effective regional counterterrorism measure”.
On his election as the body’s chairman, Tinubu said he was humbled and honored by the move. He said “Indeed, I’m humbled and honored by this trust and want to assure you of my unalloyed commitment to provide the necessary leadership with dedication to serve the interests of the community”.
The President declared that he would prioritize political stability, peace and security, regional economic integration and the strengthening of ECOWAS institutions, declaring that democracy and good governance remain the cornerstone of peace and sustainable development.
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