ECOWAS, AU Plan To Stop Military Coups, Terrorism.

Economic Community of West African States and the African Union saythe imperative of a unified regional approach to tackle the evolving security challenges and unconstitutional change of government was to stop military coups, terrorismacross Africa.

This stance was articulated during the inaugural joint consultation between the AU Peace and Security Council and the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at the ambassadorial level in Abuja

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS and Chair of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council, Ambassador Musa Nuhu, said, the dynamic nature of Africa’s security landscape underscored the emergence of new and complex threats, ranging from terrorism and violent extremism to unconstitutional changes of government, stressing that, the necessity for collective efforts transcending national borders to effectively address these challenges.

He described the significance of joint consultative engagements between the AU and Regional Economic Communities as crucial platforms for fostering a collective response to mitigate these security threats, adding that, the African continent has struggled with security challenges that have brought untold hardship to the people.

The chair highlighted the importance of cooperation in various areas, ranging from preventing unconstitutional government changes to implementing counter-terrorism measures and promoting peace initiatives, and also stressed the need to extend discussions beyond politics to encompass economic development, humanitarian intervention, and social cohesion, all crucial elements for achieving lasting peace across Africa.