In the face of terrorism, Bassirou Diomaye Faye calls on the WAEMU to make unity a requirement for peace

In receiving the members of the UEMOA High-Level Committee on Peace and Security, President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye called for strengthened regional solidarity in the face of rising terrorist and cross-border threats. Stating that no state can meet this challenge alone, the Senegalese head of state affirmed that the unity of the union's member states is now "the very condition of peace" within the community.

This was at the conclusion of their 7th meeting held in Dakar from July 6 to 10, 2026 under the presidency of Senegal.

The delegation included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Security and Finance of the eight Member States, the President of the WAEMU Commission, the Governor of the BCEAO, the President of the BOAD, as well as the Presidents of the Court of Justice and the CIP/WAEMU.

During this meeting, Bassirou Faye made a strong appeal for enhanced regional cooperation to address the security challenges facing the community. He stressed that terrorism and cross-border threats constitute a common challenge that no state can meet alone.

"Unity is not an option. It is the very condition of peace in the community space," he affirmed, insisting on the need to provide more effective, coordinated, and population-oriented collective responses, as these populations are the first victims of insecurity.

President Faye also urged the WAEMU Commission to mobilize the Regional Security Fund for the most affected states and to accelerate the implementation of the Early Warning and Monitoring Mechanism.

He finally reiterated Senegal's solidarity with the countries on the front line in the fight against terrorism and the threats to the stability of the sub-region.