The Chairman of the of the ECOWAS Authority of the Heads of State and Government and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says that the regional body has spent $13 million on counterterrorism efforts in frontline states and humanitarian efforts in the region.
Addressing the Sixth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana, on Sunday, Tinubu said that the regional bloc was exploring other funding options for its $2.6 billion Standby Force.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Nigerian President, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, said that Tinubu stated that ECOWAS has allocated $9 million to assist persons of concern, including refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.
“The frontline member states in the fight against terrorism have also been supported with $4 million under the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Humanitarian Response,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Tinubu also said that ECOWAS would soon convene a special extraordinary session to discuss its future.
Speaking on the challenges facing the region, Tinubu noted that the bloc faces multiple threats, including member states withdrawing, geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change and the spread of misinformation and disinformation.
“He said that ECOWAS would continue to dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to maintain unity and will convene a Special Extra-ordinary Summit on the future of the Community,” the statement said.
Tinubu also revealed that the bloc allocated at least $14m to counterterrorism and humanitarian efforts in the most affected member-states and that ECOWAS is exploring other funding options for its $2.6 billion Standby Force.
According to the statement, Tinubu told his counterparts that “The Community has activated a Standby Force to counter-terrorism and will continue to explore funding options.”
GIK/APA