Fresh concern over plight of ECOMIG soldiers in The Gambia

Tue, Jan 26, 2021
By editor
4 MIN READ

Africa

By Paul Ukpabio

SOME stakeholders have expressed concern over the plight of serving ECOMIG soldiers in The Gambia, after the release of the communiqué of the 58th Session of ECOWAS Heads of States, which strongly indicates, a wobbly financial purse as member states, defaulted in their commitment to the financial support of the body.

The Gambia had in 2017 after a popular election won by Adama Barrow set to experience for the first time democratic change of leadership since 22 years of independence and harsh rule of President Yahya Jammeh.

But the incumbent President Jammeh refused to accept the electoral result until chaos loomed in the Gambia. ECOWAS States, along with the European Union, had to constitute ECOMIG to stabilize the power situation in The Gambia.

But long after political power stability had been restored to The Gambia, ECOWAS as a body still found the need for ECOMIG to remain in The Gambia to nurture the democracy.

But indication from the communiqué has exposed the body that its wish and desire have not been matched with financial muscle, especially after the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State recently, extended the Mandate of ECOMIG for another 12 months.

According to released communiqué, the Authority of the ECOWAS body, “urgently appeal to Member States to expedite payment of their voluntary contributions to the Fund dedicated for the implementation of the Plan of Action for the eradication of terrorism in the Region: In order to boost the implementation of the 2020 – 2024 Action Plan to eradicate terrorism in the region.”

The Authority in the same vein went on to appoint: President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana and Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government and Mahamadou Issoufou, President of the Republic of Niger to lead the financial and technical resource mobilisation efforts.

However, the communiqué went ahead to recognize the challenges that member countries are facing with Covid-19. “Authority takes note of the unfavourable development of economic activities in ECOWAS in 2020, which would be characterized by a 1.7% decline in real GDP, following a 3.9% real growth in 2019, as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.” It urged member states to accelerate and step up the implementation of measures to combat COVID-19 and revive economies.

The communiqué also recognized the deterioration in ECOWAS macroeconomic convergence situation in 2020, as a result of measures taken by Member States to combat COVID-19 and revive their economies: And went ahead, to grant Member states a waiver with regard to meeting the macroeconomic convergence criteria in 2021.

And there lies the plight of ECOMIG!

While the ECOWAS body communiqué raises hope of a possible raising of funds urgently, it also dashes such hope, as it gives a subtle indication that member states will not be forced to contribute if they do not have the capacity to do so! As more priority should be directed to the fight against Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the European Union and Nigeria have been the main funders of the African-led peace support operations in West Africa in the last two decades!

“Together, the EU and its member States remain the biggest donor to the African continent. Approximately EUR 20 billion a year in development aid is directed to Africa through programmes implemented at a continental, regional and national level. Around 20% of this is managed by the European Commission,” says the EU.

Nigeria, on the other hand, has also been a major contributor to the welfare of the soldiers in the peace keeping force in The Gambia. But with dwindling GDP as a result of poor oil revenue and worrisome battle against insurgency and terrorism in its own country, Nigeria whom many may be looking up to, may turn out to be disappointing.

ECOMIG, which was gathered together to solve political problems in The Gambia, may sooner become a major political problem in the country due to financial negligence except if member States harken to its aid.

– Jan. 26, 2021 @ 10:44 GMT |

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