The 21st Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff kicked off yesterday at the Jerma Beach Hotel, Kololi, presided over by the vice-president and secretary of state for Women's Affairs, Dr Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy.

The three-day meeting of defence chiefs is being attended by 15 member delegations, including the ECOWAS Commission and will discuss pertinent matters relating to peace and security in the sub-region.

In a keynote address delivered on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief, President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, the vice-president expressed delight for Banjul to play host to 21st ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff (CCDS) meeting and extended warm welcome to all the delegates to the Smiling Coast.

"We offer you our typical hospitality and goodwill, which this country of great people extends to all the peoples and nations of ECOWAS. This needs to be nurtured and cherished among us all in order to bring about comprehensive and effective social and economic integration in the sub-region, and above all, prosperity to the people", the vice-president entreated the sub-regional gathering of defence chiefs.

Vice President Njie-Saidy added that social and economic integration within the sub-region has been elusive despite political will and effort, noting that this is due to the long spell of social instability and insecurity that have plagued the sub-region in the past two decades.

"As the sub-region emerges from this undesirable situation, ECOWAS member states must now look up to the institutions and structures that play a pivotal role in the maintenance of security and stability, with a view to concertising the peace and stability that is taking root across the sub-region", she added.

The vice-president, who is the chairperson of the National Security Council (NSC), observed that the CCDS falls within this category, and "it is essential that the element of goodwill towards each other is nurtured and sustained. Goodwill is built on trust and trust thrives in an atmosphere devoid of suspicion and intrigue".

According to her, the environment of good working relations insinuated in the foregoing, is what is called for in this present and future deliberations, as the forum discusses peace and security issues in the sub-region.

"At stake also is the matter of putting in place appropriate mechanisms for improving the security of the member states of ECOWAS, and the standing up and operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF)," she noted.

Vice-President Njie-Saidy described the ESF as well-placed institution to foster greater cooperation and goodwill when viewed from the perspective of an integration mechanism.

In conclusion, the vice-president wished the defense chiefs fruitful deliberations and a pleasant stay in Banjul.

Speaking earlier, Major General Lang Tombong Tamba, the chief of Defence Staff of The Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), said the CCDS exists at a very crucial time, when "we all need positive political progress, democracy and regional integration".

"Although we are here representing our individual nations with probably different political beliefs and/or doctrines, one thing that is important to take note of, is the fact that peace in any part of the sub-region means a democratic win for the whole sub-region," Major General Tamba noted.

"I must confess on behalf of the Gambian people that we are truly thrilled by the goals and objectives of ECOWAS and this committee in particular, which has over the past years contributed immensely to the socio-political and security development of our sub-region as well as the African continent," CDS Tamba told his compatriots of army generals.

For his part, Col Mahamane Toure, the commissioner of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, said The Gambia was among the first countries to participate in the committee at its inception, alongside Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea and a few others, through physical, financial and intellectual contributions emerging from civil wars.

"Please allow me to state for the records that it was here in Banjul, during the 13th Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State Summit, in May 1990, that the Standing Mediation Committee (SMC) was set-up to identify ways and means for resolving the then Liberian conflict. It was here again on 7th August of the same year, at the beginning of its third meeting that the decision to deploy Ecomog troops in Liberia was announced," the Colonel recalled.

Col Toure said that the 21st Meeting of CDS falls under the framework of planned quarterly meetings provided under the provisions of the 1999 Protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peace keeping and security.

Air Commodore Ali Traore, the chairman of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, said based on reports from Deggo Exercise 2007, which was held in Senegal, the CCDS has scheduled major taskforce exercises like command post, logistic exercise, among others to be held in Mali this year.

"We need to ensure that the ECOWAS structure is solid in maintaining peace and stability in the sub-region," he concluded.

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