Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has contended that the recent decision by the Government of the United States to include all ECOWAS countries in its visa restrictions (Togo was already on an earlier list) would be most unfortunate if implemented, as the region has opportunities for trade and investment.
The minister stated that the region is ready to do business with the US, but the government needs to create a conducive atmosphere for it to occur, as other countries are also eager to work with the ECOWAS member states.
He said, “We in this part of the world are students of the Art of the Deal and have been part of the international trading system even before the modern state system. ECOWAS countries and the US have a rare opportunity to create a partnership based on principles of need. We are also a strategic alternative to more distant and politically divergent energy producers. So, we will do deals for our prosperity; the only question is with whom?”
Tugar spoke at the 54th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council’s ministerial-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The minister affirmed that the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD) initiative, launched in May of this year in conjunction with the United Nations Development Programme, would help address the challenges of democratic governance in West Africa and ensure its success.
He said the RPD is a template that should be collectively owned and applied within the West African region based on the particularities of member states’ polities.
According to him, the humanitarian challenges facing the region, ranging from forced displacement, food insecurity, and climate-related vulnerabilities to health and protection concerns, demand not only joint attention but also coordinated action.
Tuggar averred that in the humanitarian and early warning domains, which are interconnected, the Mediation and Security Council will receive a comprehensive update on the Early Warning and Response Centres, which are essential components of the regional conflict prevention framework, in the member states.
He said the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has benefited greatly from the foresight demonstrated in the establishment of the Inter-Governmental Action Plan Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) some decades ago, as illicit financial flows, money laundering, and terrorism financing continue to threaten the region’s collective security.
The minister asserted that member states must therefore reaffirm their commitment to enhance financial transparency and resilience.
“The council will receive briefings and updates on the resilience of the region, especially efforts by member states to strengthen our institutional capacities to tackle money laundering and terrorism financing,” he said.
He also highlighted the completion of the Lungi Military Logistics Depot, constructed under the auspices of ECOWAS, which he described as a landmark achievement, coming at a time when the region is preparing to mobilise and operationalize its Standby Force against terrorism.
