Peace/Security: ECOWAS-Egypt Explores Cooperation
The Ambassador of Egypt to Nigeria and ECOWAS, HE Mohamed Fouad, paid a courtesy call on the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musa.
The ECOWAS Commission and the Arab Republic of Egypt are exploring the possibility of greater cooperation on peace and security, with a view to making West Africa a safer and more stable region on the continent.
This fact came to light when the Ambassador of Egypt to Nigeria and ECOWAS, HE Mohamed Fouad, paid a courtesy call on the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musa, on 16 May 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria.
Necessary Cooperation
Commissioner Musa stated that the operationalization of the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorism Force is one of the areas where cooperation is needed.
The Commissioner hinted that plans are underway to convene a special summit on the future of regional integration, even as the regional organization is working hard to ensure that heightened geopolitical interests in the region do not lead to proxy wars.
Stating that ECOWAS has much to learn from Egypt in terms of regional peacebuilding, the Commissioner revealed that ECOWAS was opposed to the idea of withdrawal of Member States from the Community because such actions were contrary to the principle of integration and pan-Africanism.
Challenges and Support
In particular, the Commissioner stressed that the ECOWAS Commission was eager to see how Egypt could;
“support the impact of the dynamics of current events in Libya in order to guarantee the security of the Sahel, having now established that the Sahel is defining our environment of peace and security today”.
In response, Ambassador Fouad recognized ECOWAS as the most successful regional economic community on the continent and noted that although Egypt is not in West Africa, it is aware of the proximity of the region's border areas and the Maghreb.
He further stressed that Egypt is very willing to adopt a holistic approach to addressing the issues of terrorism, cross-border crimes, insecurity and insurgencies.
The President stated that cooperation between Egypt and ECOWAS stems from mutual understanding and shared needs in capacity building and information exchange, and both sides expressed optimism that Egypt's experiences could be very valuable for ECOWAS' regional peacekeeping, mediation and integration efforts.
Conclusion
Cooperation between ECOWAS and Egypt represents a significant step toward improving peace and security in West Africa. Sharing experiences and strengthening mutual capacities are essential to addressing regional challenges such as terrorism and insecurity.
Egypt's willingness to adopt a holistic approach and ECOWAS's openness to learning and integrating new strategies reinforce the promise of a safer and more stable region. Continued collaboration will be crucial to the success of regional peace and integration efforts.
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