The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) successfully concluded its 43rd Ordinary Meeting in Abuja

The results of the 43rd General Meeting (CCDS) held by the ECOWAS Commission of Chiefs of Staff (CCD) from 11 to 13 March 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria, resulted in better promotion of regional security and cooperation within the community and a common front has been established to address security challenges.
Speaking to fellow members of the committee at the closing ceremony, Christopher Musa, Nigeria’s Chief of Defense Staff and CCD Chairman, said: “… During the deliberations, we identified critical vulnerabilities to regional security and demonstrated our company’s determination to address these threats. As expected, there are areas of concern among members, but more importantly, a firm determination toward the need for collective action. It is the spirit of this gathering, which is firmly rooted in the firm commitment to fulfilling our main obligations as members of our respective countries’ armed and defence forces, and is intended to defend and protect our people from harm and insecurity. ‘
General Christopher Musa concluded that he firmly believed that the results and recommendations of discussion and deliberation would address the problems and challenges facing the region and would certainly lead to concrete actions to further strengthen collective efforts to achieve safer and more prosperous communities.
We should remember that this review of the 43rd ordinary meeting of the Director of the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff focused on key security issues in the West African sub-district. Some of these areas include the commitment to review Ecowas standby force, considering the commitment of the Ecowas Counter-Terrorism Brigade and the rotation of staff of the Peace Support Operations Division and the Ecowas standby force.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to introduce the results of the meeting of government experts on the ECOWAS logistics concept and the standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics warehouse in Lungi (Sierra Leone) and to study the report of the previous meeting of the Ecowas Naval Chiefs of Staff Committee. In addition, the equipment standardization of Ecowas standby force is introduced.
Distributed by Apo Group on behalf of the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS).