President Muhammadu Buhari says the insecurity challenges in the West African sub-region can only be effectively tackled if a common strategy is adopted by member states.
Buhari, who is the chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, stated this at the opening of the 55th ordinary session of the Summit of the ECOWAS, in Abuja on Saturday.
He said: ”Taking into account the transnational nature of the threats confronting us, the need for the adoption of a common strategy at the national and regional level to combat them, has become imperative.
”By so doing, we will reinforce our actions and resources for a more effective response to protect our citizens and secure our common space.
”While I acknowledge that several initiatives and measures have been taken in our respective countries recent developments have shown that we must cooperate more effectively to achieve our goals.
”We should send a strong and unified message to the perpetrators of violence that we are resolute in our collective determination to confront and defeat them.”
According to him, member states of the ECOWAS must remain focus in their collective endeavor in the areas of peace and stability so as to achieve the set goal of the organization.
He said the call had become imperative in view of the fact that despite the overall appreciable progress made, particularly in the field of political governance, the sub-region had continued to face considerable security challenges.
”We are all witnesses to the recurring incidents of inter-communal clashes, herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorist attacks in all our countries.
”These threats, you will agree with me, have consequences on the peaceful co-existence between our communities and peoples as well as their livelihoods.
”This unrest also undermines all our efforts in achieving full regional integration. It is, therefore, necessary that we act collectively to end this menace in the interest of regional stability and wellbeing of our people,” he said.
Buhari, therefore, expressed the organisation’s sincere sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims of terrorist attacks, banditry and inter-communal clashes perpetrated by some misguided elements in the societies.
He assured that the regional leaders would not relent in their efforts to protect the peace loving people and their properties, while vigorously sustaining the war against terrorism and criminality.
The Nigerian leader maintained that as the organization continued to strive to create a secure, stable and prosperous environment in West Africa, member states must also intensify efforts to ensure sustainable economic and social development in the sub-region.
He said, by doing so, the member states would be able to tackle poverty and youth unemployment and contribute to sustained stability in their respective countries.
President Buhari revealed that several issues relating to different policies,
programmes and projects, itemized for discussion at the 55th ordinary session would also be deliberated and considered.
”Considering the high level of interest you all attach to regional cooperation and integration, I am confident that our Summit will witness robust discussions and produce sound decisions,” he added.
The president used the opportunity to thank the African Union, the United Nations and all other bilateral and multilateral partners for their sustained cooperation and assistance, saying that ”we value their partnership”.
In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Brou, lamented that the subregion is witnessing an upsurge in inter-communal clashes.
According to him, the terrorist attacks target religious groups, with the clear purpose of undermining social cohesion in the sub-region.
He also noted with concern thatthe burdened funding the fight against the growing insecurity on budgets of membe states had reached levels which compromised national financial equilibrium and funding for social and economic development.
He, therefore, proposed that the organisation should convene an extraordinary summit in the near future on the fight against terrorism.
Meanwhile, the 2018 ECOWAS Prize of Excellence has been posthumously awarded to a former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Kofi Annan, and Dr Ameyo Adadevoh for their contributions to region’s well-being.
The prize was presented to representatives of their families at the 55 Summit of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Saturday in Abuja.
The award was also presented to Madam Germaine Acogny, a Senegalese dancer and choreographer responsible for developing African Dance and the creation of several dance schools in France and Senegal.
The wife of the former UN secretary-general, Nane Annan, the son of Adadevoh, Bankole Cardoso and Acogny received the awards and cash prizes of $20,000, $10,000 and $15,000 each.
Annan, who died on August 18, 2018 was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from January 1997 to December 2006.
He and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize and was also the founder and chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation.
Annan joined the UN in 1962, working for the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Geneva office.
He went on to work in several capacities at the UN Headquarters including serving as the Under-Secretary-General for peacekeeping between March 1992 and December 1996.
He was appointed the Secretary-General on December 13, 1996 by the Security Council, and later confirmed by the General Assembly, making him the first office holder to be elected from the UN staff itself.
He was re-elected for a second term in 2001, and was succeeded as Secretary-General by Ban Ki-moon on January 1, 2007.
Also, Adadevoh who was confirmed to test positive for Ebola virus disease on August 4, 2014, and was being treated, died on August 19, 2014.
She is renowned for her contributions towards curbing the spread of Ebola virus in Nigeria by placing the patient zero, Patrick Sawyer, in quarantine despite pressures from the Liberian government.
The wife of Annan, who gave an appreciation speech on behalf of the recipients, expressed gratitude to ECOWAS for the award.
“Thank you for this generous recognition of the immense contribution to the objectives of ECOWAS by my husband and dear friend.
“I would also like to thank ECOWAS on behalf of the two other laureates, two outstanding women of West Africa, the late Dr Ameyo Adadevoh her selfless sacrifice to curb the spread of Ebola in Nigeria.
“And Madam Germaine Acogny for the quality and richness of your artistic production,” she said.
She also said the Kofi Annan Foundation was working with ECOWAS and other partners in West Africa to strengthen democracy and elections, resolve conflicts, support reconciliation and improve food security.
