ABUJA (Reuters) – West African regional bloc ECOWAS has appointed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu as its new chairman amidst growing concerns over security issues such as military coups and terrorism in the region.
In the past three years, West Africa has faced a setback in its democratic progress, experiencing a total of six successful military coups. This alarming situation highlights the need for the region to address its reputation as the “coup belt.”
Tinubu, who assumed the position on Sunday, succeeding President Umaro Sissoco Embalo of Guinea-Bissau, has stressed the urgency of taking swift action to combat insecurity, including terrorism and coups in West Africa. He emphasized that these issues have reached an “alarming proportion.”
In a statement released on Monday, Tinubu said, “The level of threat to peace and security in the region demands immediate action to address these challenges. Therefore, we must remain committed to utilizing all available regional frameworks to tackle the menace of insecurity.”
As the new ECOWAS chairman, Tinubu has pledged to prioritize political stability, peace, security, and regional economic integration within the 16-member organization.
(Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing Elisha Bala-Gbogbo)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
