In 2023, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) documented over 3,500 terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic, resulting in nearly 7,000 fatalities.
Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musa, the Commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security at the ECOWAS Commission, disclosed this during the weekly press briefing held in Abuja on Friday.
Musa highlighted the vulnerability of the region, particularly the Sahel countries, where the majority of the attacks occurred. Burkina Faso witnessed close to 2,000 attacks, Mali over 1,044, and Niger Republic experienced 500 attacks.
The toll was staggering, with almost 7,000 lives lost in these three Sahel countries alone.
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The consequences of these attacks extended beyond loss of life. Approximately 4.8 million people faced food insecurity, 2.4 million were internally displaced, and close to 9,000 schools remained closed across the region.
Musa underscored the severity of the situation, likening Burkina Faso’s status to that of Afghanistan.
To address this pressing challenge, ECOWAS is in the process of establishing a Counter-Terrorism Force. Musa revealed that discussions are ongoing to determine the financing modalities for this force.
A meeting of Ministers of Finance and Defence is slated to convene soon to finalize the resource mobilization strategy.
The formation of this force marks a significant step in the region’s efforts to combat terrorism and enhance security.
ECOWAS, established in 1975 to promote economic integration among member states, has faced numerous setbacks in recent years due to military takeovers in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
These disruptions have threatened regional stability and economic progress.
However, efforts to address these challenges have been underway. Economic sanctions were imposed on affected countries, but they were lifted following interventions led by Nigeria’s former military head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.
These decisions were made in the interest of unity and security within the African sub-region, as emphasized by Omar Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission.
