The 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Staff (CCDS), held from 11 to 13 March 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, concluded with significant advancements in regional security and cooperation. The meeting reinforced a unified approach to addressing security challenges within the Community.
At the closing ceremony, General Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman of the CCDS, addressed his colleagues, stating: “In the course of our deliberations, we identified critical vulnerabilities to regional security and demonstrated our firm resolve toward addressing these threats. As expected, there were areas of concern between members, but more importantly, there was a firm commitment to collective action. This gathering embodies the spirit of unity, rooted in our shared duty as members of the armed and defense forces of our respective countries to defend and protect our peoples from harm and insecurity.”
General Musa expressed confidence that the recommendations from the discussions would effectively address the region’s security issues and challenges. He emphasized that these measures would lead to concrete actions, further strengthening collective efforts to ensure a safer and more prosperous Community.
The deliberations of this 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff Committee focused on critical security issues within the West African sub-region. Key topics included reviewing pledges for the ECOWAS Standby Force, considering contributions to the ECOWAS Counter-Terrorist Brigade, and discussing the rotation of Staff Officers of Peace Support Operation Divisions and the ECOWAS Standby Force.
Additionally, the meeting served as a platform to present the findings of government experts on the ECOWAS logistics concept and the standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone. Participants also examined the report from the most recent ECOWAS Chiefs of Naval Staff Committee meeting. Furthermore, discussions were held on the standardization of the Table of Equipment for the ECOWAS Standby Force.
The meeting reaffirmed ECOWAS’s commitment to regional stability, fostering enhanced military cooperation, and ensuring a collective response to security threats in West Africa.
