West African military chiefs have formally approved the activation of an ECOWAS Standby Force, aiming to deploy 2,000 troops by the end of 2026 to combat rapidly expanding terrorist networks that have killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands across the region. The new regional army marks a significant shift from reactive diplomacy to deployable military action. Notably, the force will be self-funded and directly controlled by ECOWAS members, helping the region reclaim strategic security leadership from foreign powers such as France. The move will immediately benefit coastal West African states like Benin, Togo, and Nigeria, providing them with a collective defensive buffer against the southward spread of ideological armed groups like JNIM and ISWAP. However, the plan faces severe logistical hurdles following the withdrawal of military-led Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, who formed their own rival Alliance of Sahel States (AES). For the regional force to succeed, ECOWAS must cooperate with the AES to ensure a coordinated response against the jihadists.
Al Jazeera
