President Bola Tinubu has succeeded President Umaro Embalo of Guinea Bissau as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Development Diaries reports that Tinubu was confirmed as the head of ECOWAS at the 63rd ordinary session of the regional body in Guinea-Bissau.

Accepting the responsibility to head the body, Tinubu promised to run an inclusive administration.

He also acknowledged that insecurity and creeping terrorism were stunting the progress and development of West Africa.

The Global Terrorism Index 2023 revealed that the Sahel region in sub-Saharan Africa is now the epicentre of terrorism.

It noted that the Sahel accounted for more terrorism deaths in 2022 than both South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) combined.

Furthermore, the report stated that deaths in the Sahel constituted 43 percent of the global total in 2022, compared to just one percent in 2007.

The report highlighted two countries, Burkina Faso and Mali, which accounted for 73 percent of terrorism deaths in the Sahel in 2022 and 52 percent of all deaths from terrorism in sub-Saharan Africa.

This is an indication that security situation in the Sahel region is becoming more difficult by the day.

The inflow of arms, and ammunition, ends up in the region because the root of the problem has remained unsolved, hence attacks have continued in Mali, Burkina Faso, and other coastal countries.

Asides from insecurity, farmers-herders conflict has been another cause of crisis in the region.

According to The United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), violent conflicts involving pastoralists have escalated in parts of West Africa and the Sahel in recent years, claiming thousands of lives across the region.

Competition for resources like land, water, and pasture is the main cause of these conflicts.

Development Diaries calls for increased security collaboration and economic cooperation among member states to end these crises.

Photo source: Bola Ahmed Tinubu