The leaders of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting on Sunday in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, have agreed to the creation of a regional military peacekeeping force to intervene in member countries to restore security and constitutional order following recent coups d’état in the area.
«ECOWAS leaders have decided to recalibrate our security architecture to ensure that we take care of our own security in the region,» the leaders stressed in a joint statement after the annual summit, as reported by the Nigerian press.
«The leaders are determined to create a regional force that will intervene in case of need be it in the area of security, terrorism (or to) restore constitutional order in member countries,» they stressed.
No details of how the joint force will be created have yet emerged, although defense officials plan to meet next month to finalize the initiative.
The ECOWAS leaders also expressed their concern over the detention of 46 Ivorian soldiers in Mali and called on the Malian military authorities to release them before the end of this month. Otherwise, the ECOWAS leaders «reserve the right and have decided to take certain measures».
With regard to Guinea, the leaders urged the military authorities to immediately open an inclusive dialogue with all parties and political representatives. They also expressed their concern over the security situation in Burkina Faso, which led to a coup d’état in October.
