By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Federal Government said that the coup d’etat was a threat to democracy in West Africa.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said this at the ongoing ECOWAS 51st Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council, in Abuja.
He noted that the persistent challenges of political instability, as seen in the recently foiled coup attempts in Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau are further indicators of the apparent threat against democracy in West Africa, and as such, underscores the importance of the meeting.
The Minister added that as members of this important Organ of ECOWAS, they have a collective responsibility of proffering solutions to address the current challenges, to engender sustainable peace and stability in our region.
Amb. Tuggar, who is also, the Chair of the Mediation and Security Council, underscored the significant initiatives being undertaken to find lasting solutions to the political and security challenges confronting the subregion.
One such initiative, he said, is the launch of the Joint Platform for Advancing Cyber Security in West Africa to protect the region’s critical infrastructure in the fight against economic sabotage.
According to him, “In the spirit of inclusivity, I also appreciate the support of Member States in tackling the political challenges confronting the subregion, in particular, our collective efforts of creating more channels of communication and negotiation with the countries under transition. Together, we will overcome these challenges. This meeting avails us the opportunity to exhaustively discuss our collective existential challenges and to devise strategies to tackle these emerging threats for the overall well-being of our community citizens. It is through these discussions that we can effectively shape the policies for our collective response, ensuring comprehensive and coordinated actions that align with the needs and aspirations of our Member States”.
He urged the foreign Ministers to engage in constructive dialogue, embracing the diversity of thought and fostering an atmosphere of friendly exchanges, adding that decisions must be guided by the principles of transparency, inclusivity, and the promotion of democratic values.
“I would like to commend the Governments of Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau for their resolute efforts in thwarting recent attempts to destabilize constitutional harmony in the two countries. Such proactive measures not only safeguard the democratic aspirations of the people but also reinforce our collective commitment to upholding constitutional order and ensuring the stability of our region,” he further said.
He expressed confidence that with a sense of shared purpose and unwavering dedication to the ideals of peace and prosperity, adding that they will emerge from this session with a clear path toward building a more secure, stable, and prosperous ECOWAS, for the benefit of the community citizens.
The Minister concluded that together, they can overcome any obstacle that stands in the way of their collective vision and shared progress.
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, said that the impressive turnout of the Foreign Ministers in Abuja underscores their collective commitment to peace, security and stability of the region.
He noted that despite collective efforts by ECOWAS institutions to create a conducive and peaceful environment for community citizens, they continue to face great challenges and vulnerabilities that constitute an impediment to possible development and integration.
ECOWAS, he said, is confronted with complex security and governance challenges relating to terrorism, violent extremism, inter-communal and armed conflicts, transnational organised crime, democratic reversals and humanitarian crises.
