Terrorism in Africa: ECOWAS will activate its standby force with 2,000 soldiers

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced its intention to activate its Standby Force (Standby Force) to address the growing security challenges posed by terrorism in the subregion.

The decision, taken at a meeting of heads of state and government, concerns the deployment of a contingent of around 2,000 soldiers according to Africaho sources.

This arrangement aims to bolster the organization’s ability to respond to terrorist attacks that continue to disrupt several member states, particularly in the Sahel region.

The activation of the Standby Force will be an important milestone in implementing the collective security mechanisms laid out in ECOWAS protocols.

According to West African leaders, this deployment will speed up operational support to countries facing violent armed groups, while strengthening regional security cooperation.

The Standby Force would thus be positioned to intervene quickly if needed, in coordination with the relevant member states.

This decision comes amid persistent terrorist attacks in several border areas of the subregion, requiring coordinated responses from regional organizations and states.

The activation plan foresees the gradual deployment of units, with the aim of equipping the Standby Force with an operational capability tailored to current threats. The logistical details and deployment modalities will be defined by ECOWAS’s competent bodies in the coming weeks.