Terrorism surge now an existential threat to West Africa – ECOWAS

The President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Omar Touray, has warned that the rising wave of terrorism across West Africa and the Sahel has reached a level that threatens the very survival of the region.

Touray delivered the warning while briefing the United Nations Security Council during its 10,047th meeting on regional counterterrorism efforts.

According to a statement issued by the ECOWAS Commission on Friday, the briefing focused on the escalating insecurity and the steps being taken to confront it.

Touray told the council that terrorists were now waging what he described as “economic warfare,” explaining that they were increasingly disrupting fuel supplies and trade routes across member states.

The president noted that this poses an existential threat to both Sahelian and coastal West African states.

The statement further read that Touray outlined a range of ongoing ECOWAS initiatives aimed at restoring stability, including rebuilding trust and advancing political dialogue with former member states Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which recently exited the bloc.

He also noted efforts to tackle the socio-economic factors that fuel violent extremism.

The statement partly read, “Touray outlined ECOWAS’ kinetic and non-kinetic measures, including the accelerated operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force.”

It added that “President Touray reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to working closely with the UN, AU and all partners to safeguard peace, stability, and resilience across West Africa and the Sahel.”