Ayorkor Botchwey: ECOWAS committed to fight terrorism

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers has condemned the evolving terrorist attacks in West Africa, assuring leaders are committed to nip it in the bud.

Addressing the 46th ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council meeting in Accra on Tuesday, she hinted of plans to combat acts of terrorism in the region through strengthening the security structures of the region.

“During our meeting, we will examine proposals to establish the forum of national security advisors which will reinforce the security architecture of our region. In addition, various actions to ensure concrete and full operationalisation of our maritime centre, will be examined, in view of the deteriorating security in the Gulf of Guinea,” Ghana’s foreign affairs minister said.

She added that notwithstanding the stringent measures to fight against terrorist actions in the region, their activities and violent extremists continue to persist.

“Beginning with the challenges of peace and security despite our strong actions, the security environment across the region has witnessed increasing terrorists’ attacks. From the Sahel region through the Lake Chad Basin, attacks from terrorists and violent extremists have morphed with banditry, kidnapping, and transnational organised crime to leave a trail of death, destruction, despair and fear among the West African population.”

She said: “This is particularly the case in the frontline states of Burkina, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, where these deadly attacks have occurred. No member state is spared as a potential target. The recent attacks in Burkina which led to 132 deaths among the civilian population including children is the latest example of this situation. Indeed, the terrorist groups are currently testing the border defences of coastal nations with a view to extending their reach to member states along the Gulf of Guinea”.

Elliot Nuertey 

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