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Ecowas Reiterates Readiness for Standby Force

Vanguard (Lagos)
NEWS
June 10, 2003
Posted to the web June 10, 2003

ECOWAS Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Political Affairs, Defence and
Security, General Cheikh Diarra, has reiterated the organizations's commitment
to step up the preparedness of its standby forces, for peacekeeping operations.
General Diarra who disclosed this over the weekend at the opening of a two-day
conference on peacekeeping operations tagged "RECAMP" (Reinforcement of African
Peacekeeping Capacities) at ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja, described the standby
forces as the backbone of the organization's rapid response system, saying,
ECOWAS would spare no effort in making them available and ready when the need
arises.
"The conference is being organized with the support of a six-man French
delegation led by the Head of RECAMP programmes, Ambassador Guy Azais, whose
mission includes increasing the military capacity of African countries either
engaged, or seeking to be engaged, in peacekeeping operations", he explained.
General Diarra said the mission was most welcome at a time when West Africa had
become known as an unstable region due to its many conflicts, including the
hostilities in Liberia.
The Deputy Executive Secretary who expressed gratitude to the French government
for the support, which he described as an "encouragement", stated that the
mission would strengthen the Franco-ECOWAS Partnership.
In his remark, Ambassador Azais disclosed that RECAMP programme would be on-
going and anchored in the African reality.
He therefore, called for support for the programme, urging ECOWAS to play an
active role in the implementation of the fourth phase of the programme (RECAMP
IV), which was being introduced to West Africa.
"RECAMP IV which allows for both the individual training of soldiers and
national units in large regional excercise involving peacekeeping missions,
reflects France's new focus on defence cooperation with African countries. It
aimed at providing logistics and training needed to improve the readiness of
African armies for peacekeeping operations under the United Nations and African
Union mandates", he explained.
In attendance at the conference were representatives from ECOWAS Member States,
defence advisers from the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States of
America, and the Ambassadors of France to Nigeria, Mr. Jean Marc Simon.

   

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