Participants at the validation meeting on the ECOWAS standby force logistics concept and depot policies, on Monday, in Abuja.
By Mark Longyen
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has charged experts from member states to develop a comprehensive logistics concept and depot policies for operation of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF).
Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, ECOWAS Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, gave the charge at a validation meeting on the ECOWAS standby force logistics concept and depot policies, on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ESF is ECOWAS’ proposed 5,000-strong counter-terrorism force established to tackle the surge of violent extremism in West Africa, and unconstitutional changes of government.
The five-day workshop drew governmental experts from member states to comprehensively review the ESF logistics documents to ensure compliance with global best practices.
Musah noted that having an effective logistics to support the takeoff and deployment of ESF was critical to tackling terrorism and violent extremism, thereby, promoting peace, stability, and security in the subregion.
According to him, the gathering is a clear demonstration of the significant progress made by ECOWAS toward strengthening the ESF’s regional logistics capabilities.
“Indeed, there is no gain saying that, the development of a comprehensive logistics concept and depot policies are significant steps forward in enhancing ECOWAS capacity to respond to emerging security challenges.
“Governmental Experts, with exceptionally well-experienced logistics experts from our member states are all gathered here.
“I urge you all to bring to bear, your wealth of experiences to comprehensively review these documents and make them in tandem with continental and global best practice,” he said.
The commissioner said the increased acts of terrorism, violent extremism, and political instability being experienced in some member states, necessitated a well-resourced logistics strategy with fully functional and operational static depot.
He disclosed that with the completion of the ECOWAS Logistics Depot, which has its headquarters in Lungi, Sierra Leone, it was imperative to develop relevant documents to guide its daily operations.
“Thus, the ESF logistics concept and other relevant documents were developed as tool kits for the management, coordination, and utilization of the depot’s resourcesand services, accordingly.
“Your collective inputs will be invaluable in ensuring that these documents are robust, relevant, and effective in our peace support operations objectives.
“Over the next five days, I expect you to engage in constructive discussions, share expertise, and validate these policy documents, toward ensuring that these documents are robust, effective in our peace support operations objectives,” Musah said.
Also speaking, Air Cdre Sampson Eyekosi, the chairman of the ESF logistics concept and depot policies, assured that the participants would bring collective value to finetune its current drafts.
According to him, this is in order to develop the best and most suitable operating procedures for the discharge of logistics during Peace Support Operations (PSOs), and other emergencies in the subregion.
“Likewise, the need to look closely at the nitty-gritty of all essential that is required to be in place to ensure that the ECOWAS Logistic Depot (ELD) at Lungi, Sierra Leone becomes functional and attains full operational capability in the shortest possible time.
“This is especially as the ELD is now at the verge of being commissioned this year, with over ninety percent of expected infrastructural work already completed on the facility,” he said.(NAN)
