ECOWAS Commission President briefs UN Security Council on regional counter-terrorism cooperation

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, delivered a substantive briefing at the 10047th meeting of the United Nations Security Council session on “Peace Consolidation in West Africa: Enhancing Regional Counter-Terrorism Cooperation in West Africa and the Sahel.”

The meeting was chaired by H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in his capacity as President of the Security Council for the month of November.

President Touray underscored the existential threat posed by terrorism to both Sahelian and coastal States, noting that extremist groups are increasingly engaging in economic warfare, including deliberate disruptions of fuel supplies and trade routes designed to weaken national economies and inflict hardship on civilian populations. He outlined ECOWAS’ kinetic and non-kinetic efforts, explaining that the Commission’s approach integrates robust security responses with prevention-focused, community-centred strategies. On the kinetic front, he highlighted the accelerated operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force as a critical instrument to counter the scale and sophistication of terrorist operations and reinforce coherent, region-wide security responses. Complementing this, President Touray stressed ECOWAS’ non-kinetic priorities, including fostering trust among Member States, advancing political dialogue with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, supporting stabilisation initiatives, and addressing the socio-economic drivers of extremism by countering extremist narratives and disrupting the financial and logistical networks that sustain terrorist groups.

The Council also heard a detailed briefing from UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who outlined the worsening security and humanitarian situation in Mali, Burkina Faso, and the broader Sahel, warning of the risk of wider destabilisation across West Africa and the potential for severe humanitarian consequences. He stressed the urgency of coherent regional action, strengthened political dialogue, and sustained international support for countries affected by insecurity.

Chairing the session, President Bio reiterated with a strong sense of urgency that addressing terrorism is a collective global responsibility, emphasising the need to align security operations with governance reforms and socio-economic measures. He underscored the importance of renewed regional cooperation, including constructive engagement with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Statements were delivered by all Members of the Council members, alongside regional States including Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal. Across their statements, speakers consistently underscored the imperative of strengthened regional cooperation to confront shared threats.

President Touray reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of ECOWAS to continue working closely with the United Nations, the African Union, and all partners to safeguard peace, stability, and resilience across West Africa and the Sahel.