ECOWAS Calls For Partnership Against Boko Haram

The Economic Community of West African Heads of State and Government, have expressed serious concern over the humanitarian consequences of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria and neighbouring countries and called for synergies between national, regional and international actions in the fight against the terrorist group.

As one of the outcomes of their consultation on the sidelines of the African Union 24th Summit in Addis Ababa, the regional leaders welcomed the establishment of the Multinational Joint Task Force as well as the commitment demonstrated by Benin, Cameroon, Niger, Nigeria and Chad in the fight against Boko Haram.

The Heads of State called for the support of the International community and for the African Union to refer the matter to the United Nations’ Security Council for action.

They also commended the Nouakchott Process, which is aimed at enhancing security cooperation in the Sahel region.

The  regional body in a statement on Monday, expressed solidarity with, and sympathy to, the Government and people of Nigeria for the numerous losses of human life perpetrated by the terrorist attacks and also appealed to the international community to help Niger contain the massive movement of refugees in the wake of Boko Haram’s repeated attacks.

On the political situation in Burkina Faso, the commission took note of the conclusions reached by the first meeting of the International Group for Monitoring and Supporting the Transition in Burkina Faso and the commitment shown by all the parties.

It expressed satisfaction at the success of the visit by the President of the Republic of Senegal, Macky Sall, which further enabled a consensus to be achieved among the Transition’s stakeholders, particularly on the modalities for the conduct of Presidential and legislative elections on October 11, 2015.

To consolidate the transition process, the Heads of State and Government reiterated the need to safeguard the inclusiveness and neutrality of the process, as well as finalize an operational election chronogram in line with the set deadlines.

They also urged the Transition Authority and all stakeholders to ensure the achievement of maximum consensus throughout the entire electoral while appealing to the international community and ECOWAS bilateral and multilateral partners to provide support for the electoral process and the conduct of the elections.

“The regional leaders further encouraged ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations to continue supporting the Transition by ensuring in particular, the smooth running of the mechanisms put in place by GISAT-BF, including at local level,” the statement read.

Regarding the Ebola epidemic, the Heads of State took note of the conclusions of the ECOWAS partners’ meeting of January 16, 2015 convened on the initiative of President Faure  Gnassingbe of Togo and Supervisor of ECOWAS process on the fight against Ebola