President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, has raised alarm over the rapid expansion of terrorist activity across West Africa, warning that the threat has now spread beyond the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin to endanger the entire subregion.

Speaking in New York during a United Nations Security Council discussion on strengthening regional cooperation against terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Touray revealed that early-warning mechanisms recorded 450 terrorist attacks and close to 2,000 deaths in 2025 alone.

According to him, extremist groups are increasingly pursuing what he described as “economic warfare”, strategically restricting fuel supplies and disrupting trade routes to weaken national economies and destabilize communities across the region.

In response to the escalating threat, Dr. Touray announced that ECOWAS is fast-tracking the deployment of its standby force, beginning with 1,650 personnel, with plans to scale up to 5,000 troops through support from member states and international partners.

He warned, however, that fragmented national efforts, mistrust among states, and limited coordination continue to undermine the region’s fight against terrorism.

Dr. Touray appealed to the Security Council to support efforts aimed at rebuilding confidence, ensuring predictable financing and reinforcing collective regional action to confront the growing insurgency.