Ministers of Defence and Finance from ECOWAS Member States convened at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, on Friday, 29 August 2025 for a high-level ministerial meeting to review the report of the Experts’ Meeting on funding modalities to operationalize a regional force dedicated to combating terrorism in West Africa.
The session underscored the urgent need to strengthen the operational capacity of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), with Ministers emphasizing that current resources remain insufficient to meet the region’s pressing security requirements.
In their deliberations, the Ministers reaffirmed ECOWAS’ pivotal role as a Regional Economic Community (REC) in peacebuilding, conflict management, and democratic governance. They reiterated the Community’s commitment to collective security as a foundation for regional stability, prosperity, and deeper integration.
