Sierra Leone: ECOWAS Military Heads Brainstorm On Standby-Force

Chiefs of Defence Staff from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member countries are meeting in Freetown (Sierra Leone), to finalise strategies for the putting in place of a 2,000-troop standby force, aimed at combating regional terrorism. The ongoing meeting to run from February 24– 27, 2026, witnessed the election of Brigadier General Sheik Sulaiman Massaquoi from Sierra Leonean as Chief of Staff of the ECOWAS Standby Force. Speaking during the meeting, Chief of the Sierra Leonean Armed Forces, General Amara Idara Bangura., reassured attendees of the shared commitment of the member States. “No member state of the Economic Community of West African States is opposed to the rapid establishment of the Standby Force,” he stated. He also emphasized that the Sierra Leonean President, General Julius Maada Bio, who is also the current ECOWAS Chairman, has the firm support of his peers to advance this strategic project. During the proceedings, each country is expected to specify its contribution in terms of personnel and logistical resources. According to initial estimates, nearly 2,000 soldiers could be mobilized in the initial phase, with the aim of establishing a first operational contingent before the end of the year to counter the terrorist threat. The fight against groups affiliated with the “Islamic State in the Sahel” as well as those linked to al-Qaeda, whose influence is gradually expanding in certain areas of the subregion,...