The President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced plans to strengthen the ECOWAS Standby Force to deter coups and combat terrorism in the sub-region.
President Tinubu on Sunday in Nairobi, Kenya also rejected the notion of a new scramble for Africa, saying that past plundering and exploitation of the continent should remain in the past and never be repeated.
He said ECOWAS has over the years made significant progress in various sectors of its integration process, including trade, free movement of persons, investment promotion, infrastructure development and security.
In his capacity as the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Tinubu said there was need for Africa to overcome its challenges and work towards a prosperous future, focusing on inclusive growth, good governance, and leveraging the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Speaking at the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs) and the African Union Member-States, he called for good governance, a prosperous future for Africa, freedom from the exploitations of the past.
President Tinubu In his statement entitled ‘Address on Status of Regional Integration in ECOWAS,’ he said: “As Africans, we forge ahead no matter the barriers thrust before us.”
On Good Governance he said “The world we inhabit is often unkind and uncertain. Past history and current global difficulties argue against our future success.”
”Lessons of the past few years teach us that the world economy can be disrupted in ways that halt progress and invite downturn. Our nations can suddenly find themselves in dire situations if we choose to be passive observers of our fate,” he continued.
”Such passivity does not commend itself to me. I will not listen to it. Neither should any African. The challenges we face mean that governance will be difficult.
”They also mean that visionary good governance is necessary. Some observers assert a new scramble for Africa is afoot and it is much like the old scramble that plundered our continent.
”But, here and now, let it be said to whomever the new scramblers might be that our continent may be old but our spirit is new. And it is strong. The bad that took place in the past must stay there. It shall never be repeated,” he said.
On peace, security, and stability, Tinubu acknowledged the challenges faced by the sub-region, including terrorism and anti-constitutional changes in government.
In his words ”We sit here in meaningful discussion of vital economic matters. Yet, it will be impossible to bring full meaning to what we attempt unless we give due consideration to the instability and conflict that now scar many of our nations.
”The fullness of the integration we seek will elude us as long as several of our nations stand in the midst of violence and war.
”The trade and commerce we talk of today refers to valued goods and services that improve life. The trade and commerce these nations suffer is of destruction and disorder that takes lives and steals opportunity.
”We cannot integrate Africa and attain the prosperity we seek while our nearby brothers and sisters suffer in pain and anguish, they should not suffer.
”We must advance as one continent toward peace and prosperity,” he added. ”Otherwise, we risk the creation of two or more Africa, one a select group of nations moving steadily while the rest remain trapped in the age-old mire of poverty, conflict and lack of hope.”
President Tinubu recounted that during the recently concluded ECOWAS Summit in Bissau, West African leaders resolved to maintain engagement with Mali, Burkina Faso, to assiduously work towards the implementation of the 24-month transition calendars agreed with ECOWAS.
Nonetheless, to assist Burkina Faso and Mali in defending their territories from occupation by terrorists, he said, ECOWAS had decided to provide support for their security agencies.
He noted that 13 out of the 15 ECOWAS member states have ratified the agreement.
On trade, President Tinubu said ECOWAS had achieved the Free Trade Area and was working on establishing the Customs Union and Common Market.
He said that the European Union remains the major trading partner for the region, followed by Asia, North America, and the rest of Africa.
RAYVE.NG reports that the Nigerian leader said the ECOWAS Commission had been assisting member-states in the negotiations, ratification, and implementation of the AfCFTA and that several generation and inter-connection projects had been implemented within the region.