By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has announced plans to activate a 260,000-strong rapid deployment counter-terrorism brigade to strengthen the fight against terrorism in the sub-region.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, made this known at the inaugural African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit on Monday in Abuja.

He was represented by Amb. Abdel-Fattah Musah, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission.

Touray said the force would provide logistics and financial support to frontline states, adding that Ministers of Finance and Defence from member countries would meet in Abuja on Friday to finalize modalities for an annual 2.5 billion dollar budget.

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

“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,” he said.

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

He stressed that the Sahel region had become the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51 per cent of terrorism deaths worldwide in 2024.

According to him, local communities, women and children in particular, have borne the brunt of state retreats and coercive protection of jihadi forces.

“The war economy from illegal mining and illicit taxation is also worsening insecurity,” he added.

Touray urged the AU and the UN to support regional counter-terrorism operations, reminding participants of the UN Security Council Resolution 2719 of December 2023 which pledged to fund 75 per cent of African-led peace support operations. (NAN)