Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission President Dr Omar Alieu Touray has called on the international community to strengthen regional co-operation, highlighting that terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel is now an existential threat to both Sahelian and coastal states.

Speaking at the 10 047th session of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on “Peace Consolidation in West Africa: Enhancing Regional Counter-Terrorism Co-operation,” Touray warned that extremist groups are increasingly using economic sabotage, disrupting fuel supplies and trade routes, to destabilise national economies and target civilians.

Touray outlined ECOWAS’ dual approach, combining robust security measures through the Standby Force with community-focused strategies addressing socio-economic drivers of extremism. He stressed the need for political dialogue with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, as well as initiatives to disrupt the financial and logistical networks sustaining terrorist groups.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also briefed the Council, warning of worsening security and humanitarian crises across the Sahel. Chairing the session, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone urged global and regional alignment of security operations with governance reforms to confront terrorism effectively.

Delegates from the Security Council and regional states, including Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Senegal, pointed out the importance of coordinated regional action. Touray reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to work with the UN, the African Union, and partners to safeguard peace and stability in the region.