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Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has said the country is providing the needed leadership to help address the current political insecurity within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Madam Botchwey addressing a press conference in Accra today said Ghana’s capacity as Chair of ECOWAS, under President Akufo-Addo has demonstrated leadership in bringing together member states to share intelligence and counter acts of violent extremism and takeovers.

“We have provided leadership to address the sources of division and instability in our member states. This has also involved engaging in mediation and facilitation processes, bringing the various parties involved together to explore viable solutions, together, and tackle national crises that have the potential to affect us all,” she said.

There has been forceful removal of several sitting Presidents in the sub-region by military forces in recent times. First was the case of Mali, which was followed by another in Guinea and a recent one in Burkina Faso, and another foiled coup in Guinea Bissau.

This has led to ECOWAS imposing sanctions on military leaders and in some cases sending troops to help stabilize the country.

Madam Botchwey said the spate of military takeovers in the region calls for a united front in addressing the situation as attacks on the constitutional order in ECOWAS contribute to division and instability that undermine efforts to counter radicalization and recruitment of people by terrorists and violent extremists.

“We need to unify our peoples in order to defeat the terrorists,” she stressed adding that the opportunity cost to sustainable development has been enormous.

She assured that Ghana on her part will use all available sources including her seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to rally a coordinated response to the security situation in West Africa.

“We are committed to ensuring a strong, united and effective African voice on the solutions that are critical to Africa’s progress including ending terrorism and extremist violence in the Sahel and elsewhere on the continent,” she added.