Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has activated its Standby Force to address terrorism and other cross-border crimes in the region.
Gatekeepers News reports that this announcement was made by Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru during the Forty-third ordinary meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff held in Abuja.
Minister Badaru emphasized that the economic growth of the region is closely linked to maintaining stable peace.
He highlighted the importance of unity among ECOWAS member states in combating various threats faced by the region.
On January 29, 2025, ECOWAS officially recognised the departure of three former members—Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic—after the completion of a one-year notice period.
However, in “the spirit of regional solidarity”, ECOWAS asked its member countries to still recognise the national passports of the three exiting countries bearing the ECOWAS logo until further notice.
Their departure from the bloc has fractured the region and is leaving the ECOWAS grouping with an uncertain future.
The three junta-led countries formally notified ECOWAS of their plan for an “immediate” withdrawal in January 2024, citing the organisation’s excessive dependence on France in particular.
Paris has become the common enemy of the three juntas, which now favour partnerships with countries such as Russia, Turkey and Iran.
However, ECOWAS required one year’s notice for the departure to be effective — that deadline falls on January 29, 2025.
The three Sahelian countries have teamed up to form a separate confederation called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
