In order to protect regional peace and security, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has emphasized the vital necessity of creating a standby force within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
President Akufo-Addo asserts that the establishment of this standby army will play a major role in reducing the worrying surge in coups and unlawful regime transitions that have beset the West African sub-region in recent years.
During the inaugural speech of the second Africa Security Conference and Exhibition in Accra, President Akufo-Addo expressed his unwavering conviction that the creation of a specialized ECOWAS standby force is not only imperative but also long overdue.
He maintained that the existence of such a force would serve as a potent deterrence to both those who support terrorism and insurgencies and those who aim to destabilize the area through unlawful means.
President Akufo-Addo expressed his belief that the military coups that have upended the political systems of various West African countries may have been avoided if such a force had been in place in the past.
“At the last summit, the ECOWAS authority agreed to bring the ECOWAS standby force into being as soon as possible. I have no doubt that had it been in existence earlier, it would have served as a deterrent to the multiplicity of coups and the spread of terrorism.
“The establishment of this force is essential for maintaining regional stability and security. It will enable ECOWAS to respond swiftly and effectively to threats, uphold democratic governance and promote peace across West Africa.”
The stability of the area is under jeopardy due to a number of issues that West Africa is dealing with at the time of Akufo-Addo’s statements.
The return of military coups has caused severe concerns about the future of democracy in the sub-region, as they are generally motivated by a combination of political unrest and economic hardship.
Furthermore, the security situation has been made worse by the ongoing threat of terrorism and insurgencies, especially in nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
