West African leaders have admitted that the region is grappling with escalating security threats and political instability, acknowledging the urgent need for collective action. Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, on Sunday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) addressed the worsening situation as Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio assumed the bloc’s rotating chairmanship from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
“Our region is at the crossroads,” Bio said, citing deepening insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states, the rise of terrorism, illicit arms flow, and transnational crime. He called for a comprehensive overhaul of the region’s security framework, emphasizing improved intelligence sharing and rapid response capabilities.
In recent years, ECOWAS has been shaken by a wave of military coups and attempted takeovers in nearly half of its member states. The most dramatic fallout came earlier this year when three junta-led nations — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger — withdrew from ECOWAS to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), pledging regional cooperation and joint military efforts. These countries have struggled, like their predecessors, to contain jihadist insurgents wreaking havoc in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.
President Tinubu, reflecting on his tenure as ECOWAS chair, lamented the continued rise of violent extremism and cross-border crimes. He expressed concern over the slow activation of the ECOWAS military standby force, a regional initiative announced in August 2023 to combat terrorism and restore stability.
“The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region — the constitutional order has been disrupted,” said Bio, highlighting a key challenge his leadership will face: reintegrating the AES countries back into the ECOWAS fold. Analysts believe this diplomatic task will define his chairmanship.
Despite the absence of a clear timeline, ECOWAS remains committed to operationalising the standby force. Historically, the bloc has demonstrated its military capability in interventions across Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali, Ivory Coast, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau.
As insecurity surges, ECOWAS finds itself at a critical juncture, with its unity, legitimacy, and ability to enforce regional stability being tested like never before.
