The ECOWAS Defense Chief stands firm in supporting democratic rule, emphasizing the importance of democratic governance in recent statements.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), expressed concerns over military coups in some West African countries that have resulted in unintended consequences and posed a threat to democratic values within the region.
On Wednesday, he addressed the 42nd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja.
“It is imperative to eliminate the possibility of military takeover,” emphasized General Musa. He further stated that such actions go against fundamental values and duties associated with being a member of the armed forces.
He further stated that the armed forces in democratic nations are expected to abide by democratic ideals consistent with their respective constitutions.
Additionally, Minister of Defence Mohammed Abubakar and his Foreign Affairs counterpart Yusuf Tuggar have called upon the service chiefs within the region to address terrorism by engaging in efficient collaboration aimed at curbing illegal trafficking of lightweight arms throughout West Africa.
One of the items on the agenda for a meeting held at Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters in Abuja, was regional security. This comes as there are discussions about creating a force to address current security threats.
Seven defence chiefs were missing from the meeting, including those of Cape Verde, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Guinea-Bissau and Togo.
In August of the previous year, during their concluding meeting, the defense leaders came to an agreement regarding a thorough and inclusive strategy that encompasses political, security and diplomatic aspects in dealing with Niger Republic’s situation.
In January, the military regimes of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger established a joint defense agreement separate from the larger West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS.
The Alliance of Sahel States (AES) held its inaugural summit in July, with the participation of leaders from three countries. The AES was established following their withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Their decision to exit ECOWAS was driven in part by their allegation that Paris was manipulating the coalition and failing to offer sufficient assistance for counter-jihadist endeavors.
