The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders on Sunday agreed to the creation of a regional military peacekeeping force to intervene in member countries to restore security and constitutional order following recent coups attempts in the area, reported The Reuters.
Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali have all been hit by military coups in the last two years. Several countries in the region are facing jihadist insurgency, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and southwards to the Gulf of Guinea.
During an annual meeting in Nigeria’s capital Abuja on Sunday, Omar Alieu Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, said the West African bloc has agreed to do more to boost constitutional government in its member states.
“The leaders of ECOWAS have decided to recalibrate our security architecture to ensure that we take care of our own security in the region,” the leaders said in a communique after an annual summit in Nigeria’s capital Abuja.
They said the member countries will create a regional force that will intervene in case of need be it in the area of security, terrorism or to restore constitutional order in member countries. However, no details of how the joint force will be created have been announced, but the defense chiefs are set to meet next month to work out how it would operate.
The ECOWAS official said the funding of the force must also be decided. He stressed that such an operation could not be solely dependent on voluntary contributions.
The bloc leaders also expressed concern over the arrest of 46 Ivorian soldiers in Mali. They appealed the Malian authorities to release them by this month and warned that if no action is taken then the ECOWAS will reserve the right and take needed measures.
The leaders also urged Guinea’s military authorities to immediately open an inclusive dialogue with all parties and political representatives. They also expressed serious concern over the security situation in Burkina Faso.
