Abuja, Nigeria — Defence chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have gathered in Abuja for the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS), focusing on the growing threat of terrorism and the security fallout from the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the regional bloc.
The three-day meeting, which began on Tuesday, brings together top military officials to assess West Africa’s volatile security landscape. Discussions will include implementing recommendations from the previous CCDS session held in August 2024, evaluating the recent ECOWAS Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting in Cabo Verde, and reviewing the rotation process for officers in the ECOWAS Standby Force.
Another critical agenda item is the examination of the bloc’s logistics infrastructure, including standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone. Military officials will also analyze the impact of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS, a move that has sparked concerns over regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
The meeting will further address member states’ commitments to the Anti-Terrorist Brigade, assess progress on the ECOWAS mission in The Gambia, and review ongoing efforts to support stability in Guinea Bissau.
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