Abuja, Nigeria — Security analysts are praising ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, for activating its regional standby force but remain doubtful about its effectiveness following the recent withdrawal of three member states.
Nigerian Defense Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar announced the activation of a standby military force Tuesday on the sidelines of the 43rd security meeting of the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS. The force, expected to comprise 5,000 troops, is part of a broader regional security strategy to curb terrorism and cross-border crimes.
Abubakar said the initiative aims to mobilize personnel and resources to combat terrorism spreading across the subregion and urged security counterparts to seize the opportunity and coordinate efforts against threats.
"I am pleased to highlight the activation of the ECOWAS standby force to combat terrorism in the subregion," said Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Nigeria's defense minister. "The activation of this force underscores our collective determination to confront the stretch of terrorism with regards to insecurity and ensure the safety and security of our citizens."
ECOWAS security chiefs also discussed peace support operations and maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The force's activation follows a report by the Global Terrorism Index, which identified Africa's Sahel region as the global epicenter of extremism -- accounting for half of all terror-related fatalities in 2024. This marks an almost tenfold increase compared to 2019.
Security analyst Kabiru Adamu welcomed the move but expressed concerns about its effectiveness.
"The last detail that we know, even though that could change, is that it will have two operational bases within the subregion," said Adamu. "We know that the ability to even acquire the 5,000-man troops has been a bit challenged. The countries that initially agreed to contribute, three of them are no longer with ECOWAS. So now ECOWAS will have to look back within its members to see who among them will augment the gap."
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In late January, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger withdrew from ECOWAS and created a confederation known as the Alliance of Sahel States, after a yearlong dispute with the bloc.
The three military-led nations accused the regional body of failing to protect its members while allegedly serving foreign interests.
Despite their exit, ECOWAS has stated it will maintain trade and security relations with the trio. Adamu said these ongoing relationships could be beneficial.
"Given the conditions of the military contingents in almost all the countries, it will be very difficult for these things to be met in a manner that would allow speedy deployment," said Adamu. "The good thing is that the defense and security cooperation between the AES and ECOWAS still stands both multilateral and bilateral. We're hoping that in spite of the exit, all sides will see the necessity to continue to engage in the security defense."
Jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State's Sahel affiliate, have taken advantage of political instability and public resentment to recruit and expand their influence.
With almost all the ECOWAS countries facing internal security challenges, observers are watching to see whether the regional force can shift the status quo amid strained cooperation.
