Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
By DAVID IORJA, Abuja –
Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo has called for an effective sub-regional collaboration on early warning systems in order to confront the security threats bedeviling Nigeria and the rest of West Africa which are becoming more violent, asymmetric, cross-border by nature, and spreading faster than before.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, during a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the implementation of an Early Warning mechanism and for the establishment of a National Early Warning and Response Centre in the country.
The Strategic Framework for the establishment of National Early Warning and Response mechanisms was adopted by the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at the 45th ordinary session which held in Accra, Ghana in July, 2014.
According to the Framework, the establishment of the early warning system is to provide real-time information on events or other incidents likely to affect social peace and security in the West African region. It also seeks to provide information on the occurrence of social and political events and climate change.
A major objective of a national Coordination Centre for the early warning mechanism is to strengthen the ECOWAS strategy for information sharing among Member States, so as to avert or reduce threats.
Commending the sub-regional body for its foresight in the design of the regional warning system, the VP said “the clear expansion of the ECOWAS early warning and response network to include terrorism indicators is a very important thing.
“I think this has helped a great deal in not only focusing on terrorism, which is, today, possibly the most lethal threat that we face, but also in giving us an opportunity as a sub-region to bring the very best possible ideas and to be able to check these threats as quickly and as efficiently as possible.”
While assuring partners of the Buhari administration’s commitment to the programme, the Vice President said “the administration will ensure that the early warning and response system is implemented and we look forward to working with you – ECOWAS -in ensuring that it is fully implemented.”
On his part, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, said the signing of the MoU was a consolidation of discussions held at different levels by ECOWAS leaders to find ways of containing threats to security in the sub-region.
Also in his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, said the signing of the MoU reiterates Nigeria’s commitment to promoting peace and security in West Africa.
He recalled that the regional early warning mechanism was set up by the ECOWAS 1999 protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, and to support the region in anticipating, mitigating and responding to challenges of human security.
While commending the Vice President’s leadership and support, Brou appealed to Nigeria to sign an Executive Order to give legal backing to the planned National Centre for Early Warning and Response System.
Senior government officials present at the ceremony included the Ministers of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Magashi (retd.); Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Ahmed; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq; Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen; and National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), among others.