President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Urges West African Leaders to Tackle Threats to Democracy and Insecurity
In an important statement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu stressed the need for leaders in the West Africa sub-region to rise above coups d'état and threats to democracy. The remarks were made following Tinubu's election as the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the ongoing 63rd Ordinary session in Guinea Bissau, as revealed by presidential spokesman Dele Alake.
As the President of Africa's most populous country, Tinubu expressed deep concern over the negative impact of insecurity and escalating terrorism on the progress and development of the West African region. He emphasized that the threat to peace had reached an alarming level, with terrorism and a concerning rise in military takeovers, necessitating urgent and concerted actions.
Tinubu highlighted the importance of adopting both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, including preventive diplomacy, to address regional insecurity effectively. He made a firm commitment to harmonize strategies and allocate resources towards achieving lasting peace in the region.
In his words, President Tinubu stated, “The threat to peace and security has reached an alarming level and requires immediate action to tackle the challenges. The progress and development of the region will remain elusive without a peaceful environment. To address the menace of insecurity, we must fully utilize all regional frameworks.”
He further mentioned the Regional Plan of Action on Fight Against Terrorism 2020–2024 and the operationalization of the ECOWAS standby force to combat terrorism. President Tinubu assured that these plans would be aligned and necessary resources and political will would be mobilized to bring the initiatives to fruition. Recognizing that terrorists do not respect boundaries, he emphasized the importance of collective efforts to establish an effective regional counterterrorism approach.
President Tinubu's call to address threats to democracy and security in the West African region emphasizes the need for unified and decisive action, aiming to create a peaceful and secure environment that fosters progress and development.
