Abuja: Egypt has expressed a strong interest in expanding its collaboration with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, particularly in the areas of training, capacity building, and technical assistance for the regional counterterrorism force. This announcement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Badr Abdelatty, during a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, with ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Abdel-Fatau Musah.

According to State Information Service Egypt, during the meeting, Abdelatty extended Egypt's congratulations to ECOWAS on its 50th anniversary, praising the community's achievements in regional integration, including facilitating the free movement of people and boosting intra-regional trade. He also commended ECOWAS's efforts in maintaining peace and security across West Africa.

Abdelatty emphasized the historical ties between Egypt and ECOWAS member states, reaffirming Egypt's commitment to sharing its expertise across various sectors. He highlighted Egypt's dedication to promoting stability, security, and development across Africa, and called for a practical framework to enhance coordination and cooperation with ECOWAS against terrorism and extremism.

The minister reiterated Egypt's rejection of all forms of violence and terrorism, especially in the Sahel and West Africa, and expressed Cairo's readiness to support the region's counterterrorism efforts. He proposed exploring preventive cooperation under a comprehensive strategy that addresses the ideological, developmental, and security aspects of terrorism. This includes support for disarmament, demobilization, reintegration programs, community reconciliation, transitional justice, and anti-extremism initiatives.

Abdelatty also highlighted the role of the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA) in providing specialized capacity-building programs on counterterrorism. Additionally, he underscored the contribution of Al-Azhar, Egypt's leading Sunni Muslim institution, in combatting extremist ideologies and promoting moderation and tolerance through its missions in Africa.