ECOWAS Calls for Collective Action Against Cross-Border Security Threats

ECOWAS Calls for Collective Action Against Cross-Border Security Threats

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for stronger regional cooperation to address terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime and other security threats that continue to cross national borders in West Africa.

ECOWAS said the region is facing increasingly complex security challenges, including political tensions, organised crime, humanitarian pressures and violent extremism, which are interconnected and require collective action.

The Director of Political Affairs at the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Babatunde Afolabi, stated this at the Pre-West Africa Peace and Security Dialogue (WAPSeD) 2027 Strategy and Review Meeting held in Abuja.

The meeting, organised by the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, was themed, “From Dialogue to Action: Reflecting on WAPSeD 2025 Commitments and Setting the Agenda for WAPSeD 2027.” It brought together policymakers, peacebuilders, researchers, youth and women representatives.

Afolabi, who was represented by Gnacabja Constant, stressed that sustainable peace cannot be achieved by a single institution or government.

He said ECOWAS remains committed to creating platforms where regional institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and peace practitioners can discuss emerging security challenges.

“If we want to achieve sustainable peace, we need to work on three Ps: People, prevention and partnership,” he said.

Afolabi noted that regional peace and security efforts must go beyond responding to crises and place greater emphasis on prevention.

He also acknowledged criticisms concerning the Commission’s communication and stressed the importance of translating dialogue and analysis into practical action.

“We recognise that the existence of initiatives is not enough. We need to act. How do we process the recommendation for action? That is the main essence of us being here,” he said.

In his keynote address, the Board Chair of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation and Professor of International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University, Charles Ukeje, called for greater inclusion of women, young people, minorities and other marginalised groups in peace and security processes.

Ukeje argued that communities must have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting them, particularly those directly impacted by insecurity and poor governance.

He also called for greater mobilisation of local resources and capacities, cautioning against excessive dependence on external actors in what he described as an increasingly uncertain global environment.

Similarly, the Executive Director of the Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Rafiu Lawal, said the security landscape was rapidly changing.

He identified disinformation, information manipulation, drug trafficking and illicit economies as emerging threats capable of weakening public trust and social cohesion.

“The geography of insecurity is changing, the nature of insecurity is changing, the actors are also changing, and therefore the tools required to prevent and respond to insecurity must also change,” Lawal said.

Lawal explained that WAPSeD, established in 2024, provides a safe and inclusive platform for stakeholders to examine emerging security challenges and develop practical approaches to conflict prevention.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, represented by his Personal Assistant, Mr. Olaniran Olusola, said West Africa continues to face economic downturn, poverty, human rights abuses, poor governance, terrorism and transnational crime.

He said these challenges continue to threaten peace and stability, disrupt livelihoods and hinder socio-economic development, stressing the need to translate dialogue into concrete action.

The Secretary-General of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice, Dr. John Tor Tsuwa, meanwhile, attributed some security gaps to the weakening of indigenous security structures.

He noted that although traditional rulers remain present across communities, their roles in security management are not clearly supported by law.

“We have traditional rulers everywhere, but there is no legal function for them,” he said.

Tsuwa also warned that changing displacement patterns in North-Central Nigeria could create additional security challenges if they are not properly managed.

The stakeholders at the meeting consequently emphasised the need for stronger regional partnerships, preventive measures, inclusive participation and practical implementation of peace and security recommendations across West Africa.