Akufo-Addo Calls For Creation Of ECOWAS Standby Force To Deter Coups
- President Akufo-Addo has urged the ECOWAS to create a standby armed force to fight against military takeovers and terrorism in the region
- He said the lack of one has also contributed to the growing sense of insecurity and instability in the region
- However, a security analyst, in conversation with YEN.com.gh, said a military standby force is not the solution to the problem
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President Akufo-Addo has called for the creation of an ECOWAS standby armed force to combat the rise in military coups and terrorist insurgencies in the West African subregion.
Addressing heads of state and other dignitaries at the second Africa Security Conference and Exhibition in Accra on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Akufo-Addo argued that such a force is not only essential but long overdue.
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He said a dedicated ECOWAS standby force would help protect the region’s stability and security against the wave of military takeovers and unconstitutional government changes.
He said the force would also deter those who attempt to topple governments or destabilise the region through unconstitutional actions and terrorism.
Akufo-Addo said that if such a force had been in place earlier, the recent coups and military takeovers would have been deterred.
He stated that the force would enable the ECOWAS to respond swiftly and effectively to threats while upholding democratic governance and promoting peace across the subregion.
Akufo-Addo’s suggestion comes amid growing concerns about the precarious security and geopolitical situation in the region following multiple military takeovers and terrorist advancement towards the Atlantic Ocean.
Political dissatisfaction, insecurity, and economic hardship have driven the situation, sparking fears about the future of democracy in the subregion.
Security expert reacts to Akufo-Addo’s suggestion
However, Foreign Policy and Security Analyst Adib Saani said establishing a standby force is not the solution to West Africa’s insecurity problem.
Speaking to YEN.com.gh, he stated that West Africa already has an army in the form of ECOMOG, which was set up in the 1990s to deal with the Liberian Civil War.
“For us to create another one is tantamount to duplication because there is ECOMOG already,” he said.
He further stressed that the tendency of West African governments to use the military to address the region’s issues is worrying and should be discouraged.
“There is no military solution to dealing with issues in any part of the world. Our efforts towards countering violent extremism since 2015 have been militarised in nature and it is sad to say that we are not winning the war against terrorists. In fact, the terrorists are rather winning,” he said.
Adib Saani further stressed that opening a frontline within the subregion could have devastating economic consequences for the region.
"We also have many economic issues, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak and, of course, the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
“So if Russia-Ukraine is far from us and yet we feel the impact, you can imagine we opening a frontline right before our noses. That would be cataclysmic, and that would have serious economic ramifications,” he said.
He urged the ECOWAS to address the various systemic structural human insecurities plaguing the region, such as the high unemployment rates, the lack of access to basic necessities like food, potable water and sanitation services, healthcare, and the respect and protection of human rights, marginalised groups, and people with special needs.
He said a consolidated democracy would empower citizens to fight against any threat of terrorist attack or military takeover in the future.
“So, for me, I don’t think the military way is the way to go. It is wrong, and it might even backfire in our face,” he warned.
Akufo-Addo calls for ECOWAS-Sahelian dialogue
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that President Akufo-Addo expressed grave concern about the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from ECOWAS and its impact on the Accra Initiative.
He said without the participation of the Sahelian countries, the Accra Initiative would be greatly undermined, and it could lead to the rise of violent extremism in the region.
He urged member states to actively dialogue with the Sahelian states to rejoin the fold.
Proofread by Edwina N.K Quarcoo, journalist and copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
