In the battle against terrorism, ECOWAS has set aside $25 million for Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso in 2024. The announcement was made by Prof. Fatou Sarr, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, during a press briefing at the organization’s headquarters in Abuja.
Of this amount, $4 million is designated for humanitarian efforts to address the repercussions of terrorism and natural disasters in the region. Sarr emphasized the importance of humanitarian actions due to ongoing crises and displacements within the community that persist even in sanctioned countries.
For the year 2024, ECOWAS has dedicated $9 million to support internally displaced persons, refugees, asylum seekers, and their host communities across all 15 member countries. Additionally, $1 million has been allocated for stabilization efforts in Nigeria, focusing on victims of terrorism, displaced individuals, injuries, rehabilitation, and bolstering community resilience.
Out of the $25 million earmarked for combatting terrorism in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ECOWAS has specifically reserved $4 million for humanitarian actions.
In 2023 alone, ECOWAS provided assistance totaling over $12.6 million to four million out of the 8.5 million victims affected by violent conflicts and disasters in West Africa. Notably, during Guinea’s period of sanctions in January, the country received $600,000 from which $100,000 was allocated for fire disaster relief and $499,390 for flood mitigation efforts.
Furthermore, ECOWAS has implemented initiatives to foster the development and empowerment of youth in the subregion across three main focal points: volunteerism, sports, and economic integration.
Since 2014, ECOWAS has deployed 217 volunteers to nations including Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Benin, with the aim of instilling a sense of volunteerism among young people to nurture their professional growth, boost civic participation, and cultivate a dedication to community service.