Fighting Boko Haram: ECCAS Heads of State and Governments meet

Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) attended the extraordinary summit in Yaounde.

The high-level meeting which opened this 16th February 2015 was convened in emergency to draw up a sub-regional strategy to fight against the terrorist sect, Boko Haram.

The summit is a follow-up of the just-ended COPAX Council of Ministers meeting that ended with the elaboration of a blueprint for the summit. During the meeting, the participants resolved on collectively strategizing towards winning the fight against terrorism.

Prior to the Council of Ministers’ Meeting, ECCAS Security Experts (Defense and Security Commission (CDS)) had met in Yaounde from 12th to 13th February 2015, with the same agenda of drawing up strategies to combat Boko Haram. The security experts made proposals which were handed over to Foreign Affairs Ministers.

The proposals were scrutinized during the COPAX Council of Ministers meeting.

The Ministers then came up with a blueprint which has been forwarded for approval and endorsement during the on-going Heads of State and Government meeting.

The experts and the ministers, it should be recalled, have also recommended a regional strategy in fighting Boko Haram. They also called on ECCAS member states to put into use the Mutual Assistance Pact.

It is therefore, the hope of nationals of the Central African subregion that today’s summit brings in a lasting solution to the activities of the terrorist sect, Boko Haram.