By Harriet Tornguvan
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called upon the West African Chiefs of Defence Staff to uphold democratic values across the sub-Saharan region.
Speaking at the 42nd ordinary meeting of the ECOWAS committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja on Wednesday, Gen. Musa emphasized the military's duty to support democracy in accordance with their national constitutions.
He highlighted the negative impact of recent military coups in the region, noting, "These events have had unintended consequences and pose a threat to our collective democratic values. This threat must be eradicated as it contradicts our core responsibilities as military professionals."
Gen. Musa stressed the importance of the meeting in preventing coups and promoting peace and sustainable development in West Africa. He expressed optimism that the gathering would strengthen their collective efforts to address these challenges.
“The complexity of this meeting requires us to leverage our collective efforts, share intelligence, and coordinate across borders to effectively tackle these issues,” he stated.
He urged the need for collaboration in addressing both the root causes and symptoms of regional security challenges.
Key topics on the agenda included the proposed Air Force Security Support Mission in Sierra Leone and the activation of the Air Force Standby Force against terrorism.
Additionally, discussions would cover the development of the Air Force Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone and Air Force Peace Support Operations.
Gen. Musa reiterated that terrorism, insurgency, organized crime, violence, and unconstitutional government takeovers undermine the socio-economic development of the entire region, highlighting the necessity of their shared mission.
