Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) Abuja, the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) in Addis Ababa.
“A Regional Standby Force that includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate must not be abandoned. I am mindful of the funding, legal and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force.
“However, with a prudent and clearly defined mandate that accords with the international law and respects national sovereignty, such a force can serve as a rapid deployment mechanism, capable of swiftly responding to major threats and bolstering the security of our region.
“Such a force can stand as a strong deterrent to large scale and protracted terrorist operations and the capture, occupation or disruption of strategic land and resources. We must continue to make careful yet meaningful progress toward this goal.
”Besides, Tinubu proposed the establishment of “an all-inclusive African Union Ministerial Committee on Counter- Terrorism is also a high priority as envisaged in the Declaration of the 16th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly two years ago in May 2022.”
“This would ensure that a forum of high-level government officials meets regularly to assess our counter-terrorism efforts and provide guidance on how to improve,” he said.
Domestically, Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, including the new Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act and National Counter- Terrorism Centre to detect, prevent and respond to threats. He commended the courage of Nigerian security forces, declaring, “They are the best of the best.
”In his closing remarks, President Tinubu emphasised the urgency of the crisis, stating, “We must show our respective populations that we, as leaders, we must do more than speak nice words; we must leave here with real results.
”The New Diplomat reports that the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed; the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; and the Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism (UNOC), Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, are expected to deliver concluding remarks at the end of the summit.
