ECOWAS sets up regional force, targets $2.5bn funding for counter-terrorism

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate 260,000 counter-terrorism brigade in the subregion.

Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, spoke on Monday at the inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja.

Touray, represented by Abdel-Fattah Musah, commissioner for political affairs, peace and security at the ECOWAS commission, said the force would provide logistics and financial support to frontline states.

He noted that the ministers of finance and defence from member countries would meet in Abuja on Friday to finalise modalities for an annual $2.5 billion budget.

“This bold initiative has become necessary given the asymmetric security dynamics in our region,” Touray said.

“We are conscious of the fact that this requires the necessary financial resources and capabilities to make it a reality.

“ECOWAS is therefore throwing the gauntlet to bilateral and multilateral partners to complement this daring regional effort.”

The ECOWAS leader noted that they would complement the African Union’s standby force framework under the African Peace and Security Architecture.

He said that the Sahel region had become the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51 percent of terrorism-related deaths worldwide in 2024.

Touray urged the AU and the UN to support regional counter-terrorism operations, while reminding participants of the UN Security Council Resolution 2719 of December 2023 of their pledge to fund 75 percent of African-led peace support operations.

He added that local communities, women and children in particular, have borne the brunt of state retreats and coercive protection of jihadi forces.

“The war economy fueled by illegal mining and illicit taxation is also worsening insecurity,” the ECOWAS president said.