ECOWAS Strengthens Logistics for Standby Force to Combat Terrorism
By Raymond Enoch
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is taking significant steps to enhance the operational capacity of its Standby Force (ESF) in combating terrorism and violent extremism across the region. At a validation meeting held on Monday in Abuja, experts from member states were tasked with developing a comprehensive logistics concept and depot policies to support the deployment and operations of the 5,000-strong ESF.
Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, speaking at the meeting, emphasized the importance of a robust logistics framework to ensure the effective mobilization and deployment of the ESF.
He noted that this initiative is crucial in addressing terrorism, violent extremism, and political instability in West Africa, while fostering peace and security across the region.
“The development of a comprehensive logistics concept and depot policies represents a significant step forward in enhancing ECOWAS’ capacity to respond to emerging security challenges,” Musah said.
He urged the governmental and logistics experts at the workshop to apply their collective experience to ensure the logistics documents align with global best practices.
The ESF was established to address violent extremism and unconstitutional changes of government in the region.
This five-day workshop, which brought together experts from ECOWAS member states, aims to review and validate the logistics policies for the ESF, ensuring that the force is equipped to handle the region’s security challenges effectively.
Musah also highlighted the importance of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, which is set to become operational later this year. The depot’s completion marks a milestone in the development of the logistics infrastructure that will support the ESF’s missions. The logistics concept and depot policies are designed to guide the coordination, management, and utilization of resources at the depot, ensuring that the ESF is prepared for rapid deployment during crises.
In his remarks, Air Commodore Sampson Eyekosi, chairman of the ESF logistics concept and depot policies, reassured participants that their contributions would be critical in refining the drafts to create the most effective logistics procedures for peace support operations (PSOs) and emergencies.
“The successful implementation of these logistics policies will enable the ECOWAS Logistics Depot to attain full operational capability swiftly, ensuring that the facility is ready to support peace operations in the region,” Eyekosi said.
The workshop is an essential part of ECOWAS’ efforts to bolster its peace support operations and enhance regional security through a well-equipped, responsive, and well-supported standby force.
