ECOWAS Meeting Focuses On Terrorism

The grave security threats posed by growing extremist and terrorist groups in the West African sub-region, especially by Al Qaeda and Boko Haram, took centre stage at the opening of the 72nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in Accra yesterday. The two-day event brought together Council Ministers of the bloc to also deliberate on how to accelerate the implementation of the various protocols relating to regional integration and trade among member countries. The event will consider and endorse the Report on the Ministers in charge of security and integration. It was used to swear in new Commissioners of ECOWAS Commission and the Financial Controller of ECOWAS institutions. Growing terrorist groups Addressing the opening ceremony, the Chairman of the 72nd Ordinary Session of the council, Ms Hanna Tetteh, said the increasing presence of insurgent groups posed a serious threat to integration efforts in the sub-region. She stated that in the past, the mention of conflict immediately sent one�s mind to civil and border conflicts and crises of governance. �The mention of violent extremism, terrorism and religious fundamentalism was considered to be far away from us. That is no longer so. Today, the growing threats of Al Qaeda in the Maghreb and the Sahel region have become real in our sub-region, particularly in northern Mali and surrounding countries,� the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said. Boko Haram is threat to continent Said Ms Tetteh, the activities of the Boko Haram in northern Nigeria also posed grave danger not only to the security of that country but also the �whole of our sub-region and, indeed, the entire Africa�. She, therefore, urged member states to redouble their efforts, including intelligence sharing, to tackle the growing menace of the terrorist group before it spread to the entire region. She said the sources of funding for terrorist activities must equally be of great concern to ECOWAS member states. �We must, therefore, take pragmatic steps to identify and react appropriately to the methods used by terrorists and terrorist groups and their supporters to collect, transfer and utilise funds for their activities in the region,� she said. Close ranks to fight insurgency She indicated that while the international community was committed to assisting the government of Nigeria to end the activities of Boko Haram, Nigerians must �close their ranks in support of their government�. �No measure of international support will succeed without the cooperation of the people who reside in the affected areas and Nigeria in general,� Ms Tetteh said. Similarly, she urged the people of northern Mali, particularly those in Kidal city who had genuine grievances, to redouble their efforts to dialogue with their government, as provided by the Ouagadougou Accord. �They should not allow terrorists and people with questionable ideologies to derail the peace efforts,� she added. Ms Tetteh further urged members of the bloc to continue to take steps to deal with the growing menace of cross-border crimes, such as piracy, illicit trafficking in humans, especially women and children, drugs, small arms and light weapons. Let�s share intelligence The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Kadre Desire, also expressed deep worry over the growing threat to peace and security in the sub-region by insurgent groups. He, therefore, appealed to ECOWAS member countries to make concerted efforts at sharing intelligence and resources to combat the canker. He commended the people of Guinea-Bissau for organising successful elections and pledged the commitment of the bloc to support that country to build on the gains they had made.