(Monrovia, Liberia):His Excellency, President Dr. George Manneh Weah has described as successful and rewarding the just ended one-day Economic of West African States (ECOWAS) Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government on terrorism.

The one-day session, presided over by the Chairperson of the Authority and President of Niger, H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, was held on Saturday, September 14, 2019 in the Ouaga 2000 International Conference Center, Burkina Faso. The Liberian Leader and 14 other West African leaders were in attendance.

Leaders of the G5 Sahel including Cameroon, Chad, Algeria, France, and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania also graced the summit.

Following the summit, President Weah told journalists that the meeting was fruitful as it adopted appropriate policies and a framework with a communique aimed at addressing terrorism in the region and other parts of Africa.

“With commitment from leaders at the summit including our United Nations, African and European Unions partners, we say confidently the fight against terrorism is well on track,” President Weah said in answer to a reporter’s answer.

According to the Liberian Leader, the Communique amongst other things calls on the United Nations Security Council and in conjunction with the African Union to urgently resolve the crisis in Libya, which has become hotbed of terrorism.

The ECOWAS authority through the communique reaffirms its commitment to the promotion of peace, security and stability in the region, the preconditions for the region’s integration and economic development.

During the Summit, the Authority also adopted a priority action plan for the 2020 – 2022 period, focusing on pooling and coordination of counter-terrorism efforts, effective and direct information and intelligence sharing among member states, training and equipping officers involved in counter-terrorism, strengthening management and security at land, air, sea and river borders and strengthening the control of arms and dual-use goods.

The 2010-2022 Plan also provides for countering the financing of terrorism, promoting communication, inter-community dialogue and preventing violent extremism and resource mobilization to fund counter-terrorism within ECOWAS.

President Weah and entourage safely returned home on Sunday, September 15, 2019.

Upon arrival, President Weah joined worshippers at the Georgia Panten United Methodist Church. 

He briefed the congregation on the ECOWAS Summit held in Burkina Faso.

The Liberian Leader said terrorism as a global phenomenon that requires collective actions to fight and defeat. He informed worshippers that a single individual can inspire group of people into acts of terrorism.