Politics

ECOWAS to fight terrorism with $4 million in subregion

Published

4 months ago

September 4, 2024

A $4 million allocation has been made by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to assist Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and other bordering nations that are suffering from the knock-on consequences of terrorism.

Dr. Sintiki Tarfa-Ugbe, the ECOWAS Commission’s Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, made this declaration on Tuesday at the start of a two-day workshop on strategic engagement in Abuja.

Tarfa-Ugbe underlined the continued difficulties that West African nations confront, such as terrorism, food hunger, climate change, and violence, and she reiterated ECOWAS’s commitment to supporting member states’ attempts to recover and become more resilient.

“We know that our countries continue to face several challenges, including conflict, terrorism, climate change, and food insecurity, but our organisation, the ECOWAS Commission, continues to support our member states in strengthening their resilience and recovery from some of these challenges.

“This year, the ECOWAS Commission has committed $2.6 million to support persons of concern within our region—those displaced, refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. Additionally, you know that our region, especially the Sahel, continues to battle terrorist attacks, resulting in many victims.

“As part of our humanitarian response to victims of terrorism, $4 million has been committed to providing support for the frontline states of Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, as well as the neighbouring countries that are bearing the spillover effects of terrorism, such as Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire,” she stated.

Tarfa-Ugbe emphasised the strength of ECOWAS’s humanitarian response system, which is meticulously monitored and its actions are thoroughly assessed.

She mentioned instances of effective interventions, such the one in Togo where ECOWAS collaborated with the World Food Programme and the Civil Protection Agency to improve agricultural output and give small-scale companies financial support.

“We have seen firsthand the positive impact of our support in countries like Togo, Gambia, and Liberia,” Tarfa-Ugbe said.

“Our assistance has enabled communities to recover and strengthen their livelihoods, which is crucial for building long-term resilience.”

She continued by saying that $900,000 in help for food and disaster relief in the Gambia as well as continuous support in Liberia to enhance food and nutrition security are also part of ECOWAS’s humanitarian endeavours in 2024.

Tarfa-Ugbe stated, “We have travelled to the Gambia and given roughly $900,000 in flood help as well as support for food and nutrition. When our team visited, they observed individuals receiving financial aid.

Related Topics:ECOWAS Featured West Africa

Click to comment

Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.