Ecowas defends its standby force in Dakar

In Dakar, the Senegalese capital, Ecowas reaffirmed the central role of its standby force in responding to security challenges across West Africa.

Commission President Omar Alieu Touray advocated an approach based on regional coordination.

The Ecowas standby force and the regional security architecture were at the heart of the address by Ecowas Commission President Omar Alieu Touray during a plenary session dedicated to sovereignty and security issues in West Africa.

He championed an approach based on regional coordination, local funding, and strengthening trust among member states.

The regional official emphasised the need to move beyond the fragmentation of existing mechanisms, citing in particular the G5 Sahel, the Accra Initiative, the Multinational Joint Task Force, and UN operations.

According to him, despite their relevance, these mechanisms remain insufficiently coordinated, which limits their impact in the face of security threats.

Omar Alieu Touray advocated for better integration of these initiatives within the Ecowas institutional framework, in order to strengthen their coherence and ownership by member states.

A standby force at the heart of the regional strategy

At the heart of this approach is the Ecowas standby force, presented as a key instrument in the fight against terrorism and security crises in the region.

Omar Alieu Touray recalled that the heads of state approved its operationalisation with an initial force of approximately 1,650 personnel, which is expected to be progressively reinforced to 5,000.

He emphasised the evolving nature of this mechanism, designed to provide the region with a rapid and coordinated intervention capability.

Funding and trust, pillars of sustainability

The President of the Ecowas Commission identified funding as one of the main challenges facing the standby force, recalling the constraints that have weakened several African peacekeeping missions due to a lack of sustainable resources.

He called for increased mobilisation of domestic resources to reduce external dependence and
ensure the sustainability of regional security operations.

Omar Alieu Touray also welcomed the progress made on UN Security Council Resolution 2719, while stressing the need for effective and depoliticised implementation.

Finally, he emphasised that building trust among member states remains essential for strengthening the effectiveness of security cooperation in West Africa.

AC/Sf/fss/as/APA